COMMENTARY: Importance of Cyber, rules of engagement in social media Published Sept. 18, 2013 By Maj. Michael Boswell 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron commander RAF MILDENHALL, England -- In today's age of self-expression, social media has become the perfect forum for anyone to have a voice in cyberspace, regardless of age, sex, nationality or religion. No subject is off-limits, and no person is immune to the trolling and cyber-banter. Even the U.S. Department of Defense and its services have joined the cyber-bandwagon. Service members are authorized to view websites such as Facebook and Twitter while on duty. Official military organizations at all levels have their own accounts on such sites. With the mass acceptance of these social networking tools, it's becoming increasingly important for service members to understand just how powerful their individual voices can be in this new environment. As the debate of freedom of speech versus political neutrality rages on, an overlooked yet prevalent violation of this requirement exists every day in social media. The concept of the strategic Airman, corporal, private or seaman is becoming realized as millions log on every day and discuss their feelings about the state of the nation and its leaders. Cyber-space has given individuals the opportunity to express their opinions virtually unfettered for the world to see, whether founded or not. What many people don't realize is our statements on these websites can be resurrected even after such posts are deleted. Although as American citizens we maintain our constitutional right of freedom of speech, this freedom is limited in many aspects by virtue of our military service. When you associate your political opinion with your status as a military member in an open forum, you can be in direct violation of regulations and laws discussed later in this article. It's actually surprisingly easy for a well-meaning person to get caught up in this. Sites such as Facebook encourage people to list their current employer in their profile, which is then automatically displayed next to their comments. Most people who maintain such sites use them to share photos, as well. Many times, some of these photos depict the member in uniform. Arguably, simply listing your occupation as "military" on a Facebook site links your comments to your status as a military member. The key to expressing your individual political opinion is to completely divorce yourself of your military standing on these sites, by not listing your employer and not displaying photos linking you to the military. It is important to remain politically neutral because it's the law. Below are a few important laws and regulations that dictate how military members must conduct themselves with regard to partisan political activities, including discussions. Federal Law (Titles 10, 2, and 18, United States Code), DOD Directives, and specific service branch regulations strictly limit an active duty member's participation in partisan political activities. Additionally, the Uniform Code of Military Justice Article 88 states that "any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the president, the vice president, Congress, the secretary of defense, the secretary of a military department, the secretary of transportation, or the governor or legislature of any state, territory, commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct." As for the enlisted force, any statement deemed insubordinate or disrespectful can result in a member's prosecution under Article 134 of the UCMJ. For those in the civil service community, The Hatch Act of 1939 is a United States federal law whose main provision is to prohibit employees (civil servants) in the executive branch of the federal government from engaging in partisan political activity. Although amended in 2012, it still addresses actions federal employees can or cannot take regarding political activities. These laws and regulations have taken on a new context with the advent of the internet. As service members are educated on these realities, it is important that we address them before they are addressed for us. Historian Allan Millett noted that, for a group to be considered a profession, it must self-police. Indeed, if we are a profession of arms, then we must police ourselves and ensure we do not tolerate unlawful behavior. We must hold our peers accountable. If we do not, the results could create future problems for us in terms of our relationship with the American people who we are sworn to protect. A leader's ability to manage this emerging issue, but not stifle healthy expression of subordinates' individual right to freedom of speech, will be the key to future organizational successes. I definitely suggest Airmen understand their individual responsibility in social media and commanding officers at all levels hold training specifically designed to address political conduct within cyberspace. We can all start by reading Air Force Instruction 1-1. DOD cyber rules of engagement with respect to social media are catching up with the activities that exist in the cyber domain. The DOD and specific military services are starting to address the importance of political neutrality in cyberspace. Additionally, the military is looking at taking adverse action against military members for unlawful political activities on the internet. It's becoming an increasingly important responsibility for the military to identify negative trends and quash them before they threaten the very existence of our organization. (Editor's Note: Copies of Air Force Instruction 1-1 are available in the base Legal Office.) Footnotes: 1. N.A. (2005). West's Encyclopedia of American Law: Hatch Act. Retrieved from http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Hatch_Act.aspx 2. McCoy, E. (2011) Elements of the Profession of Arms and Their Impact on the Military Logistician. Retrieved from http://www.almc.army.mil/alog/issues/JulAug11/elements_profession_arms.html, November 30, 2012