The ranking member of the House Committee on the Judiciary, Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), wrote a letter to the Department of Homeland Security on August 18, demanding answers about a report in the Wall Street Journal that the DHS “intends to use third-party contractors to spy on the social media communications of American citizens for signs of ‘extremist’ threats.” Jordan continues: “DHS’s use of non-governmental entities to engage in this warrantless surveillance is reportedly designed to circumvent legal restrictions that prohibit law enforcement and intelligence agencies from spying on Americans. DHS’s use of private companies — including social media platforms — to spy on online communications would have serious consequences for the civil liberties of all Americans.”