Ever Wish You Could Decipher Social-Media Snark? So Does the Secret Service. The Secret Service is looking for new social-media monitoring tools, to among other things, help determine sarcasm.

By Nina Zipkin

In the age of constant social media use, we all know that nuance can get lost in a sea of tweets and texts, leading to missed social cues, poorly received jokes and perhaps an over-reliance on the friendly exclamation point. Apparently no one is immune, not even one of the oldest law-enforcement agency's agencies in the country -- the U.S. Secret Service.

As spotted by the Washington Post, the Secret Service is in the market for a new suite of social-media analytics software and will be taking proposals until 5:00 p.m. on June 9th. The Post reports that the agency has been using the Federal Emergency Management Agency's analytics tools and now wants a dedicated system of its own.

Related: 6 Key Shifts in Thinking About Social Media

The Secret Service wants the new monitoring tools to provide real-time analysis, and data visualization like heat maps, find influencers, access Twitter histories, search in different languages and be compatible with Internet Explorer 8 (yes, Internet Explorer 8). On the more subjective side of things, the agency wants the tools to deliver "sentiment analysis" and an "ability to detect sarcasm and false positives" -- two important features for an agency who, in addition to riding in style with the president and VP, is tasked with investigating fraud.

Related: Want Your Brand Associated With Positivity? Snap a Pic, Ditch the Tweet.

Nina Zipkin

Entrepreneur Staff

Staff Writer. Covers leadership, media, technology and culture.

Nina Zipkin is a staff writer at Entrepreneur.com. She frequently covers leadership, media, tech, startups, culture and workplace trends.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Innovation

4 Ways Market Leaders Use Innovation to Foster Business Growth

Forward-thinkers constantly strive to diversify and streamline their products and services, turning novelties into commodities desired by many.

Business News

JPMorgan Shuts Down Internal Message Board Comments After Employees React to Return-to-Office Mandate

Employees were given the option to leave comments about the RTO mandate with their first and last names on display — and they did not hold back.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Since Middle School': She Started a Side Hustle on Facebook Marketplace — Then a 'Game-Changer' Grew It to $25,000 a Month

Leena Pettigrew's "entrepreneurial spirit" inspired her to build a business with earnings that outpaced her full-time income.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Leadership

From Elite Athletes to Tech Titans — Discover the Surprising $100-Million Habit That Leads to Extraordinary Success

Success comes from mastering focus, eliminating distractions and prioritizing what truly matters.

Business News

'I Want the Best People on Our Teams': Meta Is Laying Off More Than 3,000, CEO Mark Zuckerberg Calls for 'Extensive Performance-Based Cuts' — Read the Memo

In an internal memo shared on Tuesday, Zuckerberg said it's "going to be an intense year" at the company.