For those that have been here before welcome back. We are your hosts, BJ 'n Cindy. We own and operate this site as well as the sister sites. A U.S. Department of Navy memo released this month details military personnel’s responsibilities when posting on social media.
The department said in the memo that it is reviewing reports of personnel violating its current social media policies. The disclosure of an internal review appears to be one of the main differences between the new memo and a previous social media guideline memo released March 14.
“We are committed to upholding the highest standards of conduct,” the guidance read.
“Service members are expected to uphold Navy and Marine Corps core values on duty, off duty, and online,” it said.
The memo reiterated previously shared social media standards for service members, instructing all personnel to ensure that personal social media accounts clearly communicate that opinions expressed on online platforms are not sanctioned by the U.S. Navy or Defense Department.
Individuals are allowed to display military titles and or photos of themselves in uniform but must make sure that when doing so the affiliated content does not appear to be sanctioned by the service, according to the new memo.
If there is any concern that the content might violate the latter tenet, the memo instructed service members to include a disclaimer saying their content solely reflects their personal views, not those of the Defense Department.
Service members can use social media accounts to send official information if they do not imply that the Navy or Defense Department supports their opinions. Service members must also make sure not to disclose unauthorized or nonpublic information when communicating over social media.
SOURCE Navy Times News Release