The Economist has an article about several different data-mining research teams trying to forecast riots, civil unrest, insurrection, and civil war. Apparently they're having success. No secret, much of their information comes off the Internet and the cell phone network.
Why people believe their online communications are private I have no idea. Assume everything you communicate on a phone or text or blog or social network is available to everyone, including those who don't share your views, perhaps wish you ill.
