"Hootsuite Inc. has been pursuing business with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the United States, more than five years after employee backlash forced the Vancouver tech company to cancel a contract to provide social-media management services to the agency. The company secured a US$95,000 pilot project with ICE in September, according to internal communications obtained by The Globe and Mail."
"Talkwalker is a company that Hootsuite bought in 2024 to expand its analytic capabilities. Talkwalker's technology combs through social-media platforms such as Facebook, X and YouTube, along with websites, podcasts and forums for mentions of customers, and then analyses the material for positive or negative sentiment and emotional tone. Hootsuite calls this "social listening." The scope of Hootsuite's work with ICE and CBP is not clear."
Hootsuite secured a US$95,000 pilot project with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in September, building on existing work with Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Both agencies operate under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and are involved in enforcing deportation and arrest policies targeting undocumented immigrants. Internal communications show Hootsuite discussed monitoring social-media conversations and sentiment related to agency enforcement actions and public perception of the CBP commissioner. An internal email described the ICE pilot as a 'Trojan Horse Deal' with potential to expand into a seven-figure contract. Hootsuite acquired Talkwalker in 2024; Talkwalker's analytics comb social platforms, websites, podcasts and forums for sentiment analysis.
Read at The Globe and Mail
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