Marine Corps Ban Social Networking on Military PCs

• by Brandon Dimmel on 20090810 @ 02:03PM EST | google it | send to friends
• Filed under Government | (related terms: ban, marines, united states, social networking, military)

It seems "being all that you can be" also means being an online hermit. The United States Marine Corps recently announced that it will be banning social networking for all members of the elite fighting force from this day forward.

Included in the ban are uber-popular pages Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace, which encourage members to publish personal information and photos, while roping friends into joining them online. That's a problem for the Marines, who believe that such activity -- and more specifically the disclosure of personal data -- is a security threat to its members who, by extension, could be threatening the safety of the United States.

Ban Could Spread to Home PCs

Up to this point the ban has only been extended to the use of military computers, but the issue is currently being reviewed and investigated by the Marines, and it's possible the ban could spread further -- perhaps even to the home PCs of members. (Source: von.com)

A new policy on the issue for all those in the Maine Corps is expected to be released by the fall.

Brits Support a Reverse Policy

News of the ban is particularly interesting, given that military officials in the United Kingdom recently announced their belief that it's beneficial for members of the British armed forces, particularly those in the field, to keep a Twitter or Facebook account.

It seems the Brits feel that such networking helps clarify what the government and the military is up to -- thus, in a way the measure is meant to work as a sort of check/balance on official directives. (Source: billingworld.com)

No wonder then that the Marines ban has aroused so much skepticism. Tech blog ChannelWeb contends that Marines need social networking for three important reasons: 1) it gives soldiers a human face in the public eye, 2) it lets soldiers keep in contact with their families, and 3) banning technology sends the message that information is something to fear. (Source: crn.com)

It seems the Brits get that.