Runnable Environment for Plug And Scrape Technology (REPAST)

Modus Operandi and IHMC propose a Runnable Environment for Plug and Scrape (P&S) Technology (REPAST) for plugging in to social networks. REPAST consists of a P&S device enabling soldiers to perform mobile data analysis. The innovative device lets users carry and configure analytic tools as they travel between locations. Users plug the device into an existing computer system and resume a personal computing session that was previously suspended. The device has minimal infrastructure requirements, no battery, and is applicable to a wide range of conditions. Obtaining situational awareness from user-generated soft-data content in social networking platforms requires automation because of the scale and speed at which the content is generated. Presenting extracted information so that a non-technical user can act on it necessitates intelligently collecting and storing data so intuitive interfaces can be built for its exploration. The evolution from SixDegrees.com to Facebook and Twitter, continues with sites like Reddit and Tumblr gaining in popularity. While individuals flock to social media to discuss everything from the weather and politics to entertainment, it is also being used by threat actors to spread propaganda and organize events. This creates a wealth of data, but makes it difficult to distinguish signal from noise.