An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | March 2, 2010

Social media policy balances Web 2.0 with security

By Ian Graham Defense Media Activity's emerging media directorate

WASHINGTON, - The new policy allowing access to social media from computers connected to the Defense Department's unclassified network balances the mission value of Web 2.0 tools and the need for security, a top defense official said.

Since being hired as principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs in June, Price B. Floyd has made waves as the Pentagon's "social media czar," promoting the use of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social networking tools to spread the department's message.

Floyd explained the new policy announced last week to participants in a "DoDLive" bloggers roundtable yesterday.

"This means all [Defense Department] components have been told ... that the default switch on access is to be open," Floyd said. "It's balanced with the need to be security-conscious and tells the combatant commands to continue to deny access to sites when people try to access them inappropriately."

The policy upholds longstanding regulations denying access to Web sites with inappropriate content, such as gambling, hate crimes or pornography, he said. The new policy also keeps in the mind the importance of operational security, which he said becomes more important because of social media's reach.

"Don't say or do anything on these sites you wouldn't say or do in any other form of communication," he said. "The people here in public affairs have started an education campaign to push out both the fact that we have this new policy, and the need to use it appropriately."

He cautioned that certain caveats apply to the policy. In many areas where servicemembers are stationed around the world, the infrastructure simply doesn't exist to support high-bandwidth applications such as video streaming, he explained.

"In a place like Afghanistan, bandwidth is going to be a problem. Just because we have a new policy, doesn't mean everything's open," he said. "If we don't have the bandwidth, we don't have the bandwidth."

The new policy comes largely as a result of a culture shift outside the Defense Department, Floyd said. That shift needs to be carried over into the department's culture, he added, as young people, many of whom have grown up using sites such as MySpace and Facebook, join the military.

"I think we have work here to do at the Defense Department," Floyd said. "People who are coming into the military take all of this for granted. They can't imagine a world where one didn't have access to these sorts of sites. For those of us who are a little longer in the tooth, it's only been in the past few years that we've seen these developments and discovered how useful they can be. So we have some education and cultural shifting to do."

Along with educating servicemembers on how to use social media tools appropriately, Floyd said, some trial and error also must be part of the process. Because these technologies are constantly emerging and evolving, he explained, leaders should be less concerned about being given step-by-step guidance on how to use each application and more about finding what works best for their unit in their location.

Floyd said he's been amazed by his own ability to engage with audiences worldwide using social media to talk to people he likely will never meet in person,. The promise and outcome of Web 2.0 technology is the potential for outreach to an immense audience with relatively little effort, he noted.

"For me, this is not so much about official messaging," he said. "This is about the men and the women of the armed forces having access to these ways of communicating. Even on my own Twitter, which I would say is official, I don't communicate 'official messages.'"

The early months of the new policy will be a learning period for everyone, Floyd said. In six months, he added, a review will lead to further guidance. For now, though, he encouraged exploration of social media.

"We shouldn't be so dogmatic about this stuff," he said. "Try new things, see what works. What works for me here in Washington might not work on a base somewhere else. I would encourage people to open a Twitter account, create a Facebook page, and see what works for them and their audience."

 

 

Related Articles
Photo of medical training during a Port Subject Matter Expert Exchange at the Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand, August 20, 2025. (Courtesy Photo)
Washington Guard Continues Strengthening Relationship at Thailand’s Port of Laem Chabang
By Joseph Siemandel, | Sept. 30, 2025
CAMP MURRAY, Wash. - Four members of the Washington National Guard partnered recently with more than 170 employees from the Port of Laem Chabang, Thailand, to continue improving the port’s all-hazard response as part of the...

Leaders and attendees from the Hawai‘i National Guard, Guam National Guard and Armed Forces of the Philippines gather for a group photo during the 25th anniversary celebration of the State Partnership Program between the Hawai‘i National Guard and the AFP at Clark Air Base, Philippines, Sept. 25, 2025. The Hawai‘i Guard and AFP launched the Indo-Pacific’s first State Partnership in 2000, marking 25 years of cooperation in training, disaster response and regional security.
25 Years Strong: Hawai‘i Guard and Philippines Celebrate Enduring Partnership
By Master Sgt. Mysti Bicoy, | Sept. 30, 2025
CLARK AIR BASE, Philippines — Cheers, handshakes and shared stories filled the air Sept. 23–25 as the Hawai‘i National Guard and Armed Forces of the Philippines celebrated 25 years of partnership — a bond that has endured...

Oklahoma National Guard leaders and Italian representatives unveil a plaque at the former headquarters of the 45th Infantry Division during WWII in Venafro, Italy, Sept. 8, 2025. A delegation of Oklahoma National Guard members and veterans toured key locations from the 45th Infantry Division’s campaign in Italy against German forces during World War II, continuing the development of the Thunderbird Trail. The initiative is aimed at preserving the Division's role in World War II through a memorial trail tracing its footsteps through Italy, France and Germany, ensuring their sacrifices are never forgotten. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Danielle Rayon)
Thunderbird Trail: Preserving Sacrifice, Strengthening Connection for Oklahoma Guard
By Sgt. Danielle Rayon, | Sept. 29, 2025
ITALY – Standing among rows of white marble headstones at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, Soldiers of the Oklahoma National Guard bent to place sand from the beaches of Anzio into the carved names of...