Is social media worth the danger that it brings? If you voice any opinion (and trust me ... I disagree with much of what I read but simply move on) that is NOT politically correct then you're in danger of losing your job and becoming a social pariah.
To make matters worse (as if they could be worse) is that social standards are changing on a weekly if not daily basis now.
I'm of the opinion that a young man should stay as far away from social media as possible. I also believe that Marines should be ordered to NOT use it in order to safeguard budding careers.
But that's my opinion.
What do you think. Is social media worth the career/personal danger? Should we avoid it like the plague?
Sidenote: Sven recommends that we simply educate our people...a tidbit from his comment (you can read the whole thing below)...
Sidenote: Sven recommends that we simply educate our people...a tidbit from his comment (you can read the whole thing below)...
We recently had an issue in Australia where a person was sacked from their position as they had defamed their employer on social media. His defence tried to argue that this defamation had occurred in a private forum, i.e. Facebook and that his negative comments about said company were meant to be viewed by friends and family only. Sadly his lack of understanding of how Facebook works and his minimal efforts at security led to his comments being available to anyone who conducted a simple Google search.This will be a good start but I wonder if this is a lasting solution with rapidly changing social standards. What was ok yesterday will be a punishable offense tomorrow....and we have to remember that every Marine represents the institution...
Like I stated earlier, banning access or use to social media wil l only see more and more complex workarounds being developed to circumvent this ban and as such an education program for those involved in sensitive occupations i.e. armed forced, government, etc is the only solution I can think of.
The only thing I have to say about it is: use responsibly.
ReplyDeletewell how do you define use responsibly? the fraternity at Oklahoma State thought that they were only among friends when they sang the song about no "niggers" at SAE. they were video tapped and they got ruined. i disagree vehemently with the message but i have to ask....how can you be responsible when your so called friends can "out you" at any moment they get pissed!
ReplyDeletemaybe its time to just push certain things underground, buy cell phone jammers and camera jammers and then have conversations?
An interesting perspective. As an older person (41 years when I last checked) I have been moving away from a non-professional, social media presence simply due to a lack of interest on my behalf. Yet for my younger co-workers, friends and peers social networking has become almost a social necessity. How can you police or force a young soldier to abandon their social media presence when it has become so ingrained?
ReplyDeleteOlder methods of communication i.e phone, mail, even email have been abandoned in favour of Facebook, Viber, Skype (very popular as a communications platform for Australian soldiers deployed overseas due to its flexibility) etc. If you force soldiers to stop using social media you are removing their ability to communicate.
I assume your main concern in OPSEC and in that space I completely agree with you. My solution would revolve around education as opposed to outright prohibition (which would probably fail as soldiers excel at circumventing controls). Refresh the old "Loose lips sink ships' adage from World War 2.
I would assume that any mechanical or electronic control you introduce to limit or stop social media use would very soon be circumvented by some enterprising gentleman developing an app for that very purpose.
ReplyDeleteWe humans excel at circumventing controls we find unpopular therefore the only solution I can think of is education. Might sound like a very 'liberal' solution and I am happy to be corrected or discuss alternatives.
THANK YOU SVEN!!!! you saved me another post! the issue with social media is EXACTLY as you state it. too much personal information...specific personal information being freely distributed across the internet, especially facebook.
ReplyDeleteISIS published the names and addresses of 100 US soldiers home addresses and called for its followers to attack them in their homes.
my guess? they got the info FROM facebook! people are giving away information that can get them hurt at best, killed at worst. the issue with soldiers in overseas locations is even bigger.
how many guys have posted probably classified info about their FOB on facebook? Force protection planners are just behind the eight ball and the from what i've seen the JCS is too busy trying to look cool instead of trying to solve the problem and safeguard our forces.
OF COURSE an app will be developed! but so will something to counteract that app! its a new form of arms race but a necessary one i think.
ReplyDeleteWe recently had an issue in Australia where a person was sacked from their position as they had defamed their employer on social media. His defence tried to argue that this defamation had occurred in a private forum, i.e. Facebook and that his negative comments about said company were meant to be viewed by friends and family only. Sadly his lack of understanding of how Facebook works and his minimal efforts at security led to his comments being available to anyone who conducted a simple Google search.
ReplyDeleteLike I stated earlier, banning access or use to social media will only see more and more complex workarounds being developed to circumvent this ban and as such an education program for those involved in sensitive occupations i.e. armed forced, government, etc is the only solution I can think of.
I personally have one Facebook page dedicated solely to communicating with friends and family and I have used every privacy feature offered to ensure that my posts are limited to said audience - and even then I am careful. I also have a professional Facebook page on which I do not share ANY personal information.
It can be done but.......
We are taught about OPSEC when we work in an area where it is required. I would recommend that social media and its responsible use be included in such training.
Probably an un-winnable arms race at that. See comments above.
ReplyDeleteOption two would be an armed forces specific social media software package "Gruntpage". Allow them to make use this package to communicate whilst in the field whilst maintaining strict oversight over what is posted, distributed etc.
I'm 45 and just now created a FB account (I don't use Twitter) as part of starting my own side business. I never did see the appeal of letting everyone know what you're doing, when you're doing it, and what you look like from the end of an outstretched arm.
ReplyDeleteThis is the exact line of thinking that requires everyone to be wearing a PT Belt. Instead of pushing personal responsibility, just treat everyone like they are children and can't be trusted.
ReplyDeleteAnd from a counter intelligence standpoint, not having a appropriate social media account can be a large red flag for certain age groups.
Haven't the US military learned their lessons yet, Sol? A few years ago, Iraqi fedayeen damaged/destroyed a few AH-64D Apache sitting on the tarmac with a well-aimed mortar and RPG rounds.
ReplyDeleteThey got exact coordinates of the parking aprons spots from photos of servicemen (using iPhone) with geo-location turned on. Iraqi fedayeen extracted coordinates from the photos and hundred of million of US taxpayers money went up in flames.
As I've mentioned in previous posts in your blog, social media and law enforcement don't work. Social media and members of the armed forces must stop. Period.
If ISIS/ISIL can only get 100 names, then ISIS/ISIL is not doing a good job. Active members of the military should be scrubbing their public-facing social media accounts, now now, but LAST YEAR!
well you can bet that a war with China will have them utilizing every bit of info from social media that they can. i wonder how much sensitive info they've already gotten because of facebook or flickr pics that were put up innocently and yet contain info that could smash us.
ReplyDeleteTurn the tables around, Sol.
ReplyDeleteCan US intelligence extract any inform Chinese social media? I doubt.
Another similar case in Australia involved Prison Officers on a closed facebook group. The Judges opinion that the communication (which involved paying out on the boss) should be treated as the same as being published in a newspaper due to the written down nature of the communication (which made it fall into our defamation laws and overcome the defence that it was little different to paying out your boss in a bar). Where I had worked, we were warned not to bring the company into disrepute via social media & to do so was a fire-able offence. Even among my social circle, we ask permission is asked before Party pictures are posted (which I had strong words to a work collogue after she posted pictures of a work function). Its a developing thing where people need to be aware this stuff is public and can cause offence.
ReplyDeleteFunny thing , if don't post every fucking thing you do on Facebook/twitter, people call you strange, antisocial and shit like that.
ReplyDeleteWant to know a quick way to discover people address? Just talk to them on Facebook, if they have geotag on, you will know his exactly address.
ReplyDeleteHere's what Obama would say about social media:
ReplyDeletehttp://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Awwp9BFfAY8
Couldn't agree more.