FBI Unveils Anti-Terrorist Edutainment Program For Schools

from the FBI:-'You-cut-the-strings.-We'll-reattach-them-later!' dept

Tue, Nov 3rd 2015 2:05pm — Tim Cushing

The FBI wants to deputize the nation's schools into its anti-terrorism posse. At this point, it's unclear whether the program will escalate to the elaborate Rube Goldberg machinations the FBI currently employs to generate terrorism suspects (putting the "rube" back in "Rube Goldberg machinations"), but for now, it appears to be "edutainment" that applies a ridiculous metaphor with blunt force precision.

The program, according to those who saw it at F.B.I. headquarters, called “Don’t Be a Puppet,” leads the viewer through a series of games and tips intended to teach how to identify someone who may be falling prey to radical extremists. With each successful answer, scissors cut a puppet’s string, until the puppet is free.

RIP, Global Terrorism. The FBI is dismantling the forces of evil with the power of multiple choice quizzes. And it's doing so without listening to the concerns of the inadvertent stakeholders.

The F.B.I. had told the community organizations that the program would be available online as soon as Monday. The organizations’ leaders spoke to a reporter only after learning that the F.B.I. was likely to proceed despite their concern that the program would stigmatize Arab and Muslim students, who are already susceptible to bullying.

“Teachers in classrooms should not become an extension of law enforcement,” said Arjun S. Sethi, an adjunct professor of law at the Georgetown University Law Center. Mr. Sethi, who specializes in counterterrorism and law enforcement, was invited by the F.B.I. to give feedback on the program.

“The program is based on flawed theories of radicalization, namely that individuals radicalize in the exact same way and it’s entirely discernible,” he said. “But it’s not, and the F.B.I. is basically asking teachers and students to suss these things out.”

BUT, BUT... INTERACTIVE LEARNING! Games and tips and string-cutting! How could this not be a good idea?

Maybe because it would simply encourage the sort of racial/religious profiling the DOJ heads off at local law enforcement agencies with consent decrees and many FBI agents themselves find mostly useless?

[Hoda Hawa, policy director for the Muslim Public Affairs Council] and others interviewed were particularly troubled by a question that she said asked the user to identify which of four or five posts on social media should raise alarm. Among the choices were a person posting about a plan to attend a political event, or someone with an Arabic name posting about going on “a mission” overseas. The correct answer was the posting with the Arabic name.

The "blowback" from groups the FBI consulted with pre-release did little to deter its plans to co-opt educational institutions into its puppet-making plans. It wasn't until the New York Times reported on the program's release that the FBI finally experienced developer's remorse. As Homeland Security News Wire reports, the FBI has now decided to hold off on the release of the controversial program.

Facing criticism, the FBI has decided to delay the release of “Don’t Be a Puppet,” an interactive program aiming to help teachers and students identify young people who show signs of flirting with radicalism and violent extremism.

The program was scheduled for release Monday.

The FBI doesn't appear to be nearly as concerned about the potential damage it might be doing to several million American citizens of foreign descent as it is about being perceived negatively by major media players. I guess that's something, but the run-up to the (now delayed) release suggests the only reason the agency "accepts" feedback from affected groups is to check that box off the project management checklist.

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Filed Under: anti-terrorism, edutainment, fbi, propaganda

39 Comments

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Ehud Gavron (profile), 3 Nov 2015 @ 1:28pm

dimantling?
Typo.. s/dimantling/dismantling.
Please delete this comment after correcting... should that be the eventual goal.

Also... seriously the FBI should be reminded of its mission, and it's not terrorism creation and bustage.

E
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Nov 2015 @ 2:14pm

It's programs like this which make me laugh whenever bigots accuse the president of being a 'SEKRIT MOOSLIM TRRIST.' The amount of spying/gov harrassment experienced by Americans of Arab/South Asian ancestry is now far worse under Obama than anything before.
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Vidiot (profile), 3 Nov 2015 @ 2:22pm

All right, if no one else will step forward to be the dickwad, I guess I have to...

"...scissors cut a puppet’s string, until the puppet is free."

Strings would mean marionette, not puppet. But "Don't Be a Marionette" somehow loses that insightful propaganda cachet.
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sorrykb (profile), 3 Nov 2015 @ 2:42pm

Re:
Quite right, quite right.

"Puppets" would more correctly refer to those ensnared in the FBI's own terrorist plot creations. Or, at least, the mental imagery seems more apt...
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Nov 2015 @ 3:15pm

Re:
Arab/South Asian != Moslem.

In fact the worst deal seem to be for those of similar descent who are NOT Moslems..
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Anonymous Anonymous Coward, 3 Nov 2015 @ 3:16pm

Planned Failure-hood
Isn’t the real question: ‘Who has their hand up the FBI’s butt (or are jerking their strings around) to get them to even consider producing such nonsense’?

This is going to hurt a lot of people, tie up a lot of courts, and absolutely NOT achieve their stated purpose. Can they be sued for this? Should the ACLU and EFF etc. start collecting plaintiff names?
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Nov 2015 @ 3:19pm

Re:
It was a typo. What the FBI meant was to cut off the hand that is currently shoved up your butt that is controlling you. The FBI knows all about that.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Nov 2015 @ 3:23pm

I guess no one at the FBI thought out the consequences of creating this program. People that are against the US would take the program and use it as propaganda to others saying, see how they brainwash their children or some such thing.

Honestly it's like the FBI is trying to create more terrorists for the sole purpose of justifying the increased budget they have.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Nov 2015 @ 3:24pm

Re: dimantling?
If that is your real name and you are jewish. You're a good guy, I know you guys exist but not enough of you are vocal against America trying to become Israel 2.0 with regard to anyone with an arabic name. I wonder what they do with Malaysians and Indonesians who have names that do not sound very much like muslim ones, they get a free pass for being not enough "black and white", no time to waste on difficult to determine people, just pick on the obvious ones.

I'm sad that the kid from Texas(was it Texas?) who made an alarm clock and brought it to school (it was his science project or something) is leaving the country to Qatar, his parents wouldn't tolerate this kind of thing any longer.

It's become more dangerous to be muslim than a mexican in the US i'm afraid.

As for myself, I know a Syrian guy, well, he was 2 year old when his parents moved to Canada, he's a christian Syrian too, and he's on Assad's side, the orthodox catholic churches of eastern europe/Russia/Greece/Macedonia told Obama that these people were committing genocide against christian syrians. He's really sad of all that's happened over there, although he is 100% canadian and has zero accent. Thankfully his name isn't an issue here, it could have become an issue had the Harper stayed. He's an atheist. What will they do with all the secular people with arabic names?
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Robert, 3 Nov 2015 @ 3:33pm

Mental Health
Reality is terrorist just like the corporation of Scientology do not target regular folks be they adults or minors. They specifically target mentally challenge individuals, those suffering mental illness, vulnerable people easy to manipulate.
Want to break the cycle, introduce proper fully funded mental health services and get to those individuals first and help them before the terrorists help themselves to them.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Nov 2015 @ 3:36pm

Re: Re:
This is in terms of the effect on Americans. Refugees are a WHOLE 'nother issue...
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Monkyyy, 3 Nov 2015 @ 3:43pm

Dare.... but this time it will work
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Richard (profile), 3 Nov 2015 @ 3:46pm

Re: Mental Health
Reality is terrorist just like the corporation of Scientology do not target regular folks be they adults or minors. They specifically target mentally challenge individuals, those suffering mental illness, vulnerable people easy to manipulate.

Strangely this seems to be exactly what the FBI do too - when they fabricate their plots!
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Justme, 3 Nov 2015 @ 5:29pm

I have to ask..
Among the choices were a person posting about a plan to attend a political event, or someone with an Arabic name posting about going on “a mission” overseas. The correct answer was the posting with the Arabic name.

I wonder if the answer is the same if the name is Smith or Jones, because there's a lot of mormon's going on mission's overseas. Radicals, who would have guessed. . .
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Nov 2015 @ 5:37pm

Said before, but this point is so dumbfounding it bears repeating: out of all the possible names and slogans for a government propaganda program that targets captive audiences full of children, they use the word 'puppet'?

That kind of irony is way too pure. They need to cut it with some tired rhetoric or droning banality before putting it out on the open market
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Mark Wing, 3 Nov 2015 @ 6:12pm

FBI: Don't be a puppet. Be our puppet.
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JoeCool (profile), 3 Nov 2015 @ 7:55pm

Re: I have to ask..
I live in a dense Mormon area, and you hear things like that all the time - young folk talking about how they look forward to going abroad to do "God's Work"... sounds just like what they want us to report.
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tqk (profile), 3 Nov 2015 @ 8:28pm

Re: Mental Health
Reality is terrorist just like the corporation of Scientology do not target regular folks be they adults or minors. They specifically target mentally challenge individuals, those suffering mental illness, vulnerable people easy to manipulate.

No need to single out Scientology. All religions do this. It's their business model.

BTW, Imperial Rome despised Christians for their atheism, because Christians denied the existence of traditional Roman (and other) deities. Cf. Harry Sidebottom's "Warrior of Rome" series.
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Nov 2015 @ 9:11pm

I don't understand this game. I checked the "Pinocchio's a terrorist" box? Did I win?
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Nov 2015 @ 10:12pm

Don't be a puppet by being a sycophant instead
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Nov 2015 @ 10:14pm

Re: dimantling?
That's the only way to justify foreign wars against people with resources our leaders want. How else can they justify such military aggression if they don't create fake terrorism plots to blame them on.
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Valis (profile), 4 Nov 2015 @ 3:09am

The United States of North Korea
If only you people could see yourselves as the rest of the world sees you.
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Nov 2015 @ 4:04am

Nazi's

Opposition.........thats all its about, no distinction between justified opposition and violent opposition, their more afraid of the JUSTIFIED opposition, afraid that people will start to think more objectively about the reasons for their actions, not just accept their word as gospel.......educating people not to question them, because naturally everything they do is both right and justified

Teaching a nation their place

Collection of power, is a corruption....unless we understand that..........a collection of power when a JUSTIFIED need arises can be beneficial in circumstances i wont deny, but shouldnt be seen as goal for perpetual power.......were regressing back to monarchs.....one person, ALL the power, forever the human race survives

Playing by the rules set by those in power ensures they'll always be in power

Did i make the list?...........why?

Justification in 3,2,1

The only thing i plan to do, is speak my mind
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Nov 2015 @ 4:11am

"The organizations’ leaders spoke to a reporter only after learning that the F.B.I. was likely to proceed despite their concern that the program would stigmatize Arab and Muslim students, who are already susceptible to bullying."

Government Response:
"Consequences, Shmonsequences.
PAH!
Pish Posh.
Rabble Rabble"
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Yes, I know I'm commenting anonymously, 4 Nov 2015 @ 4:11am

Because of the secret `Egregious Policy Exchange Treaty' between the USA and the UK, the FBI is required to implement the British `schoolteachers have to spy on students act.' It's mandatory.
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Nov 2015 @ 4:26am

Conditioning people how to behave, lest they be targetted, irregardles of guilt.........lawfull guilt.......not "legal" guilt

That is not a fucking free society ffs, where those with more power=more rights, dictate how those they enforce their stolen power upon, how they should behave EXACTLY

Their are a million ways to be good, but your only allowed to be THIS particular good

If your not THIS good, then your bad, even if your still good
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Nov 2015 @ 4:31am

Re:
Using law to literally, turn ourselves against eachother

Suspect ourselves, to be weary of ourselves, to focus on ourselves......instead of THEMselves

Never question, never think how these actions affect the public mindset

Not allowed to think for ourselves.......they dont want the competition
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me@me.net, 4 Nov 2015 @ 4:36am

We shouldnt have cops in schools in school
WE certainly dont need the FBI Manufacturing terror-suspects in schools.
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Nov 2015 @ 4:45am

Re:
They do that on purpose.........alot of these words/descriptions are used against them where they make sense because of context

They just use the words randomly, in hopes that those still under their thrawl will passively absorb their version of the meaning

We live in a society where the left hand does'nt know what the right hand is doing, and yet, they all have the same goal.......the upper echelon dosnt have A puppet......its got MANY puppets.........and the left dont know what the right is doing........i suspect that their are many pupeteers too........these pupeteers, the ones that cause the conflicts amongst us when they lock horns with one another, bringing us all down with them in their conflict.........
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Nov 2015 @ 4:46am

Re: The United States of North Korea
Someday they will and there will either be civil war or revolution in their country again.
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Nov 2015 @ 4:46am

"Don’t Be a Puppet" says the puppeteer
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Richard (profile), 4 Nov 2015 @ 4:48am

Re: Re: Mental Health
No need to single out Scientology. All religions do this. It's their business model.

WRONG - the real business model for Christianity has been the exact opposite. Single out the most powerful people in the land and convert them - the rest will follow. If the Emperor Constantine had not been converted there would be little or no Christianity in the world today. Look at the history of any European Christian country and you will see the same pattern.

The US is an aberration because your founding fathers decided not to have an official denomination (although at the time Christianity was nearly universal amongst the settlers). Consequently in the US religions often use the business model of a cult - which is what you deacribe. However the US is different from pretty much everywhere else in the world in that respect.
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Nov 2015 @ 9:11am

Are there fan mods available for this game?

I'd like to try the mod that has the US Government as one of the radical extremists!
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Anonymous Coward, 4 Nov 2015 @ 9:18am

FBI doesn't contract people that are "pirates". MPAA schools the kids against "piracy". FBI schools the kids against "terrorism". Coincidence?

"Don’t Be a Puppet"? Tell that to Obama.
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toyotabedzrock (profile), 4 Nov 2015 @ 10:17am

Someone needs to make a similar video for the FBI, about not being a puppet of your underlying racist thoughts.
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GEMont, 4 Nov 2015 @ 11:34am

Fascism: How To 101
The War On Radicalization.

The problem does not exist.... Yet.

But, as the USG becomes more openly fascist and the public becomes more aware of its oppressor's intent, dissent will be inevitable, and so "dissent" must be re-labeled and become "radicalization" in the general public mind.

Once legislation is in place, the problem can be advertised on TV and in movies to become a real "thing" in the public mind, and within a year or so, laws can be made to "fight the problem", with the public's consent and approval.

The Five Eyes never sleeps.

War on Suckers.

---
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bollocks, 4 Nov 2015 @ 12:36pm

Thunderbirds are go
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Kronomex, 4 Nov 2015 @ 1:07pm

I...um...er...snort...it's...snigger...absolutely...bwahahaha!
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Zonker, 4 Nov 2015 @ 3:05pm

Re: I have to ask..
I was just about to comment along the same lines as you. My immediate thought was that, according to the FBI, I was supposed to report all of my Mormon acquaintances as possible radical extremists.
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