A Glimpse at Obama's Snitch Insider Threat Program

You remember this:

President Barack Obama has ordered federal employees to report suspicious actions of their colleagues based on behavioral profiling techniques that are not scientifically proven to work, according to experts and government documents.

  McClatchy

And here are some excerpts from the FBI’s guidelines brochure. Totally effing surreal. NOW you can justifiably be afraid. But the good news is, as Stephen Colbert says, you're NOT paranoid.

Being aware of potential issues, exercising good judgment, and conducting discrete inquiries will help you ascertain if there is a spy in your midst. However, if you believe one of your employees is a spy or is stealing company trade secrets, do not alert the person to the fact that he/she is under suspicion, but seek assistance from trained counterintelligence experts–such as the FBI.

[...]

There are a variety of motives or personal situations that may increase the likelihood someone will spy against their employer:
--Greed or Financial Need: A belief that money can fix anything. Excessive debt or overwhelming expenses.
--Anger/Revenge: Disgruntlement to the point of wanting to retaliate against the organization.
--Problems at work: A lack of recognition, disagreements with co-workers or managers, dissatisfaction with the job, a pending layoff.
--Ideology/Identification: A desire to help the “underdog” or a particular cause.
--Adventure/Thrill: Want to add excitement to their life, intrigued by the clandestine activity, “James Bond Wannabe.”
--Vulnerability to blackmail: Extra-marital affairs, gambling, fraud.

[...]

Some behaviors may be a clue that an employee is spying and/ or methodically stealing from the organization:
--Interest in matters outside the scope of their duties ...
--Notable enthusiasm for overtime work, weekend work, or unusual schedules when clandestine activities could be more easily conducted.
--Unreported foreign contacts (particularly with foreign government officials or intelligence officials) or unreported overseas travel.
--Short trips to foreign countries for unexplained or strange reasons
--Unexplained affluence; buys things that they cannot afford on their household income.
--Shows unusual interest in the personal lives of co- workers; asks inappropriate questions regarding finances or relationships.
--Concern that they are being investigated; leaves traps to detect searches of their work area or home; searches for listening devices or cameras.

  FBI.gov

Unreal.  But let me ask: are federal employees really required to report any overseas travel they undertake? I guess I shouldn't be surprised.