The US House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government is investigating the role of various financial entities in surveilling political terms in the wake of the January 6, 2021, events in Washington, DC. These entities, supposedly spurred on by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), allegedly tracked terms such as “Trump” and “MAGA” on platforms such as Eventbrite and GoFundMe, with questions arising over the extent of government influence on digital platforms.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has written letters to Eventbrite and GoFundMe, questioning activities during that time, citing evidence that FinCEN “encouraged private financial institutions to review customer transactions using politically sensitive terms.” Other keywords subject to surveillance reportedly included “America First,” “Pelosi,” and “Pence.” Jordan argues these transactions, apparently unrelated to criminal activity, were treated by FinCEN as potential threats despite their intersection with First Amendment rights.
Chairman Jordan has asked event management platform Eventbrite and crowd funder GoFundMe to provide documented information regarding potential collusion between the government and digital platforms. The committee has given the companies until March 18 to respond. The letters detailed how individuals who purchased tickets to President Trump’s events could be identified, and the committee alleged it constituted “pervasive financial surveillance.” Concerns have been raised regarding potential abuses of American citizens’ fundamental civil liberties.
