Update: This post at Blackfive clears up any misconceptions about this. It just means it is banned from the military computers.
I am very saddened by this and think it is a BAD idea!!! Here is the Marine document and a story by Wired. Make policies for social networking OPSEC concerns – not ban. This will come back to bite someone in the ass if you ask me.
man this enrages me…what a violation of our 1st admendment rights….this man is scary!
What enrages me is the vast number of Americans who do not know the First Amendment.
This is NOT a First Amendment issue…
There are a number of reason why soldiers should not be permitted to even post on networking sites while deployed… especially on military computers. It’s a security issue.
Most private companies already ban use of these sites on company equipment and/or networks for a number of reasons. Security being the main reason.
While I dont agree, it is the order that came down, and contrary to popular belief, when you are a member of the armed services, you basically waive your bill of rights. That info is contained in the UCMJ. Please invite young military enlistees to read that book.
They can still access social networking on their personal computers. I understand why they did this and the safety of our men and women in uniform comes first. It is just sad when the armed forces worked so hard to embrace social networking and then has to put the kabosh on it.
What’s there not to agree with? Soldiers aren’t supposed to divulge any info pertaining to their current deployment. When it was just the occasional phone call or e-mail it was something that the military could control and monitor rather easily. With twitter, facebook, etc… it’s quickly growing into something that cannot be properly controlled. And when it comes to the military, control and discipline are of the utmost importance.
You might not like it, but the reality is that we don’t want our service men and women sharing their feelings while deployed. They’re not there to provide commentary or opinion. They’re there to fight, and to win.
When I was living in Tokyo 10 years ago, I was amazed at just how much info some of the local women would have as to when a ship was coming in, when it was leaving, where it was going… what ships were rotating where… it was ridiculous. It must be just plain foolish now.
Don’t even get me started on how chain of command and overall cohesion suffers with such a thing left unchecked.
Lastly… stop blaming Obama of having some evil hand in every little thing that goes down in this country. You’re starting to sound like the morons who blamed Bush every time they stubbed their damn big toe.
We keep down this path and it won’t matter who’s in the White House or controlling congress… every issue will be ripped down to base idiocy and partisan BS. Nothing will ever get done.
Big Brother – I am a huge supporter of social networking and blogging from in theater. That is not the issue and I don’ think anyone was blaming Obama – as a matter of fact – nobody mentioned his name but you. You must be looking to stir a quiet hornets nest.
I perhaps over reacted and mistated…I just know how close lipped my friend was in country but how important just being able to talk to a friend back home was to him when he was where he was. I assumed that the troops laptops are miltary owned and thus would be included in the ban. Perhaps I am mistaken and I realize I over reacted..not a darn thing that man does that I like I must confess….I think even less of whose running the house at the moment.
Sis…
No… not trying to stir up a hornets nest.
From Nikki:
“man this enrages me…what a violation of our 1st admendment rights….this man is scary!”
Who is the big scary man, sis?
And recently:
“I realize I over reacted..not a darn thing that man does that I like I must confess…”
Maybe there is a big scary man staring her down in a Starbucks while she types or something… I don’t know.
If I wanted to stir up a hornets nest I would call her dislike of our president for what it is.