06 APR 3307
The Proactive Detection Bureau has been set up by the Federal Intelligence Agency to scan civilian communications for signs of terrorist activity.
The new department was formed following congressional approval of the Domestic Counter-Terrorism Act. This was drafted by Vice President Jerome Archer, who told the media:
“The PDB is a vital tool to prevent further massacres on the scale we have recently witnessed. It will unearth NMLA terrorists and other dangerous activists concealed among innocent citizens, and help keep our families safe.”
Deputy Director Bethany Blake, who has been appointed to run the Proactive Detection Bureau, explained its operations:
“Highly advanced algorithms will scan all data transmitted across public and private networks on a system-wide level. Any suspicious communications are redirected to a regional hub, for review by trained investigators.”
“It is important to understand that only specific activity within narrow parameters will be flagged, and must pass dozens of automated checkpoints before our operatives can access it.”
Shadow President Winters and civil rights groups have protested that this violates long-standing privacy laws. However, President Hudson has championed the PDB as a cornerstone of the new counter-terrorism statutes.