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on the other hand seeks immediate and wide dissemination of the information gathered. The former’semphasis on discretion is vital to the analysis targeting limited dissemination of the information tothe official consumers: the policy-makers. Journalistic goals are to maintain a free press with theability to keep the general public informed. This runs counter to official intelligence purposes. Plainlyto the intelligence community reality is classified. Thus the media and the intelligence community areusually at odds with the ultimate use of the information collected. One is national security driven andthe other motivated by open and wide dissemination of information.In the last 170 years the world has witnessed the invention of photography, telegraphy, telephony,radio, television, flight (aircraft and satellites), computers, the fax, mobile phone, fiber optic andmost recently the internet or cyber-world. These technologies have significantly strengthened themass media. At the same time they have presented enormous challenges to the secrecy componentof the official intelligence. Further complicating the collection aspect has been the digitalization ofthese technologies. The convergence of telecommunications and computer technologies has had anenormous impact on the transmission of information. The challenge is to maintain or preserve theintegrity of the information. The speed in dissemination of information has virtually revolutionizedthe world of information akin to the recent theme that modern communications have become “thedeath of distance.”Technology has empowered not only the media but also has enabled rogue states and non-stateactors to pose greater dangers. These asymmetrical threats from non-state actors include terroristgroups, organized criminal syndicates and narco-trafficking organizations. The media, official stateand non-state actors have virtually complete access to these new technologies. The conventionalconduit to keeping the public informed is the mass media. Governments usually view the media asan opportunity to selectively supply with information of their choice to keep the public interestedand supportive of public policy. Yet, that has become a tremendous challenge as radio and televisiondeveloped into twenty-four hour news services world-wide.Another important new factor or element in this evolution is the rise of the internet. This posesnot only a challenge to the intelligence community but also to the traditional print media. A perfectexample is the fact that the internet now has literally millions of bloggers. These bloggers are standalone sources of information, misinformation and /or propaganda. They have become importantplayers in the global information network. Moreover, the internet has provided radical or subversivegroups with a ready and rapid way to communicate using chat rooms, messaging or blog postings.The technical challenge to detect them is evident . For the mass media, especially the printedone, surveys show that the younger generation, below 35 years old, does not get their news fromnewspapers or magazines any longer. They rely on the internet or the bloggers or on-line reportingby the traditional and non-traditional news media. Bloggers specifically present a greater concernin the new media because they abide by no code of conduct in revealing information regardless ofaccuracy or sensitivity. Thus, much inaccurate, misleading and patently false information is rapidlydisseminated.At the same time asymmetrical threatening groups use it to convey or transmit valuableinformation. In sum, all the former concerns with the media in terms of safeguarding informationto protect the national security are in question now. The new technologies in mobile telephony andremote computerization have further enabled these threatening groups to become more nimble indisseminating information or propaganda as well as communicating more timely and effectivelyamong themselves to avoid instant detection. The task is to attempt to detect any threats in a timelyfashion. Basically, what is taking place in many foreign and defense ministries and law enforcementcenters (includes municipal police, customs, firearms and immigration officials) is a frantic effortto keep up with the new telecommunications technologies and the new media in cyberspace. Thedaunting task is not only to detect but to collect and tamp down on information which includesintelligence ‘leaks’, misinformation or patently false information that impacts on national security.140Security and Defense Studies Review 2009/Edición 2009/ Edicão 2009/ Volume 9, Issues 1 & 2