Social Networking and the US Army
Social networking plays a vital role in the lives of Army personnel. The access to different sites of social media paves the way for the Army personnel to share their experiences with others, provide crucial information and remain connected to things they care about (US Army). The US Army supports the usage of social media by its personnel and their families because the different social networking platforms can be used to share the Army stories. Army personnel uses social media as a tool of creating meaningful connections with the American populous, thus maintain their trust and confidence in the US Army. However, the US Army only encourages the proper usage of social media by its soldiers and their families as a way of upholding the all-binding Army values both online and offline. The US Army has different security policies that control the utilization of social networking sites regarding the content posted and shared by its commands and personnel.
Security Policies Governing the Use of Social Media
In September 2012, the Department of Defense (DoD) released the "DODI 8550.01 - Internet Service and Internet-Based Capabilities" that comprised of guidelines regarding how the US Army personnel could use social media. The government of the United States appreciates that the capabilities of the internet services are essential to the operations of the US Army. For that reason, Army personnel are to uphold the standards of the Army Values and Uniform Code of Military when posting or to share any information on social media (Joint Service Committee on Military Service, 7). The DODI 8550.01 provides regulations that prohibit Army personnel from misusing social media even when they are off duty. The inaccurate utilization of social media by the US Army commands and personnel violates the simple rules and guidelines on the conduct of Soldiers who are prohibited from providing the general public with sensitive information.
Policies on the Proper Usage of Social Media
The "ALARACT 058/2018 - Professionalization of Online Conduct" provides Army personnel with the policies, guidance, and recommendations on the proper usage of social media. These policies were formulated to pave the way for the US Army commands and personnel to gain insight into appropriate ways of becoming representatives of the military on social media. According to a study conducted by the Office of The Chief of Public Affairs (5), security policies on the utilization of social networking sites are aimed at establishing an environment where the Army commands and personnel can disseminate information to the public and their families. Under this policy Army personnel are expected to engage in electronic communication but after applying the rule of "Think, Type, Post." This situation will ensure that before posting any information online, the Army soldier will bear in mind the individuals who will view that message and if it is consistent with the Army values.
Army Conduct Policy
The "AR 600-20 - Army Conduct Policy" outlines that the US Army through its commands and personnel should treat people with dignity and respect. For that reason, according to the Office of The Chief of Public Affairs (11), the US Army acts by defining online behavior as the utilization of social media in an appropriate way that is in line with the stipulated code of conduct and Army values. This policy dictates that it is imperative that Army personnel acknowledge that any time they use any social media platform they act as a representation of the US Army. Therefore, according to the Joint Service Committee on Military Service (17), Army personnel with access to social media must stand by the requirements of the UCMJ. Under "ALARACT 058/2018 - Professionalization of Online Conduct," online misconduct is described as the wrong utilization of social media. The US Army prohibits its personnel from using social media to inflict harm.
Reporting Online Misconduct
Besides, the "AR 600-20 - Army Conduct Policy" gives authority to senior Army officials to punish Army personnel who violate its directions and requirements. The US Army ensures that it encourages appropriate use of social media by providing mechanisms that can be used to report any online misconduct. US Army asserts that Army personnel are prohibited from taking part in online bullying by sending intimidating communications or misusing online communications. The violation of the UCMJ and the code standards, as well as the federal law concerning the use of social media by Army soldiers, could result in the intervention of courts-martial services. To report any online misconduct "AR 600-20 - Army Conduct Policy" demands that members and community of the U.S Army report such cases through using the appropriate chain of command. Besides, cases of online misconduct could be reported in additional avenues such as the Inspector General and Law Enforcement offices.
Political Content on Social Media
The policy in "Department of Defense Directive 1344.10" provides security rules and regulations that guide the conduct of US Army personnel when posting any political content on social media. US Army asserts that just like other US citizens, the Army personnel have a right to express their political ideas and views both online and offline. However, the law through relevant policies prohibits Army personnel from posting online content that relates to organized communication campaigns. The US Army commands and soldiers represent the will of the Federal government, and for that reason, if they are to provide political opinions, they should be independent and not a representation of the opinion held by the military. The DoD has provided various guidance and recommendations that guide Army personnel by stipulating limitations that exist when one wants to be part of the political activity (Joint Service Committee on Military Service, 13). For example, the standard code of conduct prohibits soldiers from acting in advocacy for political parties or participating in partisan politics.
Conclusion
The US Army has different security policies that control the use of social media regarding the content posted and shared by its commands and personnel on various social networking platforms. The access to social networking sites paves the way for the Army personnel to share their experiences with others, provide crucial information and remain connected to things they care about (US Army). Army personnel uses social media as a tool of creating meaningful connections with the American populous, thus maintain their trust and confidence in the US Army. Nonetheless, according to Joint Service Committee on Military Service (6), the US Army only encourages the proper usage of social media by its soldiers and their families as a way of upholding the all-binding Army values both online and offline. For example, the "DODI 8550.01 - Internet Service and Internet-Based Capabilities", "Department of Defense Directive 1344.10", "ALARACT 058/2018 - Professionalization of Online Conduct", and "AR 600-20 - Army Conduct Policy" comprise of guidelines regarding how the US Army personnel could use social media.
Works Cited
Office of the Chief of Public Affairs. “U.S. Army Social Media Handbook,” 2011, pp. 2-25.
Joint Service Committee on Military Service. “Manual For Courts-Martial United States," 2016, pp. 1-50.
US Army. “Army Social Media” Army. 28 Nov 2018. https://www.army.mil/socialmedia/
