Marines Ban Twitter, MySpace, Facebook

Wired (link in body of thread) | 8/3/2009 | Noah Shachtman

[markomalley]

Material from Wired not to be posted on FR, per FR posting rules. Link to article here

[markomalley]

Bottom line is that the USMC has banned Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, and other "social networking" sites from their networks.

Two ways I could spin this: good OPSEC (except the Army actively uses it)

Or I could don the tinfoil hat

With Obama in office, I'm not sure which position to take.

Does the USMC also ban Free Republic?

[Mr. Lucky]

The ban applies to Marine Corps cumputers only. Individual jarheads are free to use their own computers as they please.

[meandog]

Uh, question: Since most jarheads can't neither read nor write nor have the prehensile intelligence to use a computer, why did the Corps even bother issue this ban? I can see it if it were aimed at Sailors, but Marines???

[markomalley]

Uh, question: Since most jarheads can't neither read nor write nor have the prehensile intelligence to use a computer, why did the Corps even bother issue this ban? I can see it if it were aimed at Sailors, but Marines???

I'm not EVEN going there.

[OrangeHoof]

I support this. The Marines are trusted with information of important military strategy and all it takes is one disgruntled person to post it on Twitter, etc. to perhaps cost lives.

I understand the counter-arguments but this sounds like a good policy. It is quite clear speaking to any soldier who is/was active in the theatre that there are some things they never discuss. Giving them access to social networking sites is opening the Pandora’s box of leaking secret intel.

[DogBarkTree]

Youre joking right?

[celtic gal]

This ban would apply to Marine Corps computers not an individual’s personal computer.

[STONEWALLS]

“Bottom line is that the USMC has banned Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, and other “social networking” sites from their networks.”

....GOOD!...if they’ve got free time for that kind of stuff, than their Sergants ain’t pushing them hard enough...BTW anybody notice the ammo pouch placement on that jarhead’s vest....remind you of something?

[celtic gal]

Never ever underestimate a Marine..do not make one your enemy..they can make your life a living hell.

[markomalley]

I understand the counter-arguments but this sounds like a good policy. It is quite clear speaking to any soldier who is/was active in the theatre that there are some things they never discuss. Giving them access to social networking sites is opening the Pandora’s box of leaking secret intel.

In that case they should cut off all access, including VOIP access (Vonage, etc.) and require all communications to be filtered through the NOSC.

Frankly, had this been tried during the previous Administration it would have been FRONT-PAGE-OVER-THE-FOLD at the NYSlimes and Washington comPost, but here the only mention is in a geek-news outlet like Wired???

In fact, isn't that EXACTLY what happened when they tried banning YouTube uploads a couple of years ago??

[kevkrom]

Uh, question: Since most jarheads can't neither read nor write nor have the prehensile intelligence to use a computer, why did the Corps even bother issue this ban? I can see it if it were aimed at Sailors, but Marines???

Q: How do you know when a Marine has been using the word processor?
A: There's "white-out" on the screen.

[Lou L]

The Marines are trusted with information of important military strategy and all it takes is one disgruntled person to post it on Twitter, etc. to perhaps cost lives.

I would say that generally speaking, The Air Force, Navy, and Army are entrusted to much higher levels of operational security than the Marines. If social networking sites are a potential breach, why don't all the branches block their use?

[napscoordinator]

I think it is a shame to be honest. Facebook is not a bad site. The Marines do not allow them to use Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL, etc for e-mails. Now you can’t use Facebook. You technically are not supposed to use your work computer to send any personal e-mails so what are they to do?????

[dog breath]

If it is Marine Corp computers it makes good sense. They are a massive waste of time when you should be working and there are serious security issues.

[meandog]

Youre joking right?

Naw! I love the Dept. of the Navy's amphibious infantry ... just as long as they let the fellows in the white uniforms do their thinking. (yup, I'm joking).

[DeaconRed]

"remind you of something?

Looked like an old transistor radio to me.

[edcoil]

The only good marine is a submarine!

[meandog]

Never ever underestimate a Marine..do not make one your enemy..they can make your life a living hell.

Semper Fi, celtic gal.

[don-o]

what are they to do?????

Uh. They will buy laptops.

[Non-Sequitur]

Bottom line is that the USMC has banned Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, and other "social networking" sites from their networks.

So? So does my company...plus YouTube and Yahoo and any number of other sites.