Japan govt: Agency funding project to monitor online info about Fukushima crisis Around the clock monitoring of blogs on nuclear power and Twitter accounts August 1st, 2011 at 11:48 AM Japan denies censorship over nuclear crisis, AFP, July 29, 2011:
[...] Chikako Ogami, a spokeswoman at the energy agency of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) [...] said the agency had set aside funds in the nations disaster reconstruction budget for a project to monitor inaccurate online information that may lead to harmful rumours against residents of Fukushima. [...]
The controversy was triggered when METIs Agency for Natural Resources and Energy earlier this month opened a call for bids for its so-called Nuclear Power Safety Regulation Publicity Project. [...]
Asatsu DK, a major Japanese advertising company, won the contract for 70 million yen ($897,000) which expires at the end of March 2012.
More about METIs job requirements:
To monitor blogs on nuclear power and radiation issues as well as Twitter accounts around the clock. To conduct research and analysis on incorrect and inappropriate information that would lead to false rumours and to report such Internet accounts to the agency. To publish correct information in question-and-answer format on the agencys website and Twitter account, after consulting with experts and engineers if necessary.
h/t Anonymous tip