New Department of Defense Policy Authorizes Social Media Access

2/27/10-by Paula Brooks
Yesterday, the U.S. Defense Department released a new policy establishing consistent rules for access to Twitter, YouTube and other Web 2.0 platforms for all members of the U.S. military.

Now, all publicly accessible information capabilities and application available across the Internet in locations not owned, operated, or controlled by the Department of Defense are considered by the military to be integral to operations. This means all you military Facebookers, Twitter tweeters, YouTubers and blog readers can now access these services from non-classified government computers, as long as that access doesn’t compromise operational security or involve prohibited activities or Web sites.

While saying the new policy recognizes the importance of protecting military networks and operations, Deputy Assistant Secretary Of Defense For Information Management And Technology David M. Wennergren, explained, “The world of Web 2.0 and the Internet provides these amazing opportunities to collaborate, ” and said the new policy will promote what Wennergren calls “secure information sharing,” providing the balance needed to tap into the capabilities social media networking provides without compromising security.

Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III, who signed the policy, said it strikes a critical balance between the benefits and potential vulnerabilities of these applications. “This directive recognizes the importance of balancing appropriate security measures while maximizing the capabilities afforded by 21st-century Internet tools,” said Lynn.

Last June, Defense Secretary Robert Gates acknowledged that the DoD was way behind the rest of the world in using social media, “This department, I think, is way behind the power curve in this; it’s an area where I think we have a lot of room for improvement,” said Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, speaking to reporters at a Pentagon news conference.

“For leaders, it’s really important to be connected to [social-networking tools] and understand it,” said Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, noting that he has his own Facebook page. “I think communicating that way and moving information around that way — whether it’s administrative information or information in warfare — is absolutely critical.”

That’s not to say the DoD has been totally social media illiterate up till now. The DoD has at least 46 YouTube channels, 91 Twitter feeds, 35 Flickr streams, 46 blogs, and 106 Facebook pages.

However, the military has, until now, had a rocky relationship with social media, the Marines completely banned access to all public social networking sites in 2007, while the Army allowed access to only handful and then only to troops stationed in Stateside Bases and with this new policy, all those restrictions are now lifted.

That also means, that since Lez Get Real.com is not to the DoD’s list of contraband sites thus far, all you soldiers, sailors, marines and air people out there in the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell underground can now read LGR from your work computer.

So here is what we’re going to do:

Lez Get Real To Launch Radio Free Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

Beginning next week, we are starting a new feature for all you military types here on LGR, and will be featuring not only our regular lezzy fair and news items, but also news you can use as military people and will be covering, stories of interest to you from around the services, plus we will also have a wide variety of military career and DoD policy news.

To do this, we have enlisted the help of present and former LGBT members of the services to keep us current on what is happening in the Military Bases and on Navy Ships around the world.

So stay tuned… to LGR’s New… Radio Free DADT… Unidos Venceramos!!!!

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