PoliticsAugust 5, 2026
dragnet
DRAG-net
Definition
A systematic, extensive search or operation conducted by authorities to track down and apprehend individuals or gather information.
Etymology
Derived from the 17th-century term for a net drawn through a river or along the ground to catch fish or game. It metaphorically evolved to describe any wide-ranging, comprehensive method for capturing or locating people.
In the news
The article describes how ICE uses a 'digital dragnet' to monitor social media for speech critical of the agency. It highlights how this broad surveillance tool is used to identify and potentially intimidate online critics.
How ICE Is Weaponizing Social Media Against Its Critics
Read the full article ↗WSJ