Intelligence agencies around the world collect an enormous amount of data every single day. They use that information to search for concerns and keep the public safe. Today, we’re going to take a quick look at just some of the ways in which it’s used to identify threats. It’s been a big issue since the Twin Tower attacks, and our government has stepped up to the mark.

Identifying geographic locations

As the infographic at the bottom of this page highlights, agencies can use the data they collect to determine locations. That is an excellent advancement because it means they can intercept people and groups who might want to cause harm to the public. To learn more, just scroll down the page.

Searching for keywords that raise concerns

It would be impossible for security personnel to look through all the data they collect every day. However, they have systems in place that flag messages and information based on a list of keywords. So, if anyone mentions the word “bomb” or something similar, it’s easy to check their communications.

Identifying individuals involved in terrorism

Terrorism is the number one threat to global security today. The data collected by the CIA and other agencies helps to profile dangerous people. They then go onto a list that ensures their communications are monitored more often.

So, now you know how data is used to keep us all safe, you should manage to sleep better at night. Thankfully, our government employs the world’s leading experts. For that reason, we should always beat our enemies.

Created by University of Southern California Online