Revolution and responsibility: Airmen urged to use guidelines, be aware using social media sites on AF networks Published May 28, 2010 By Capt. S.J. Brown 934th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Minneapolis, St. Paul -- The majority of communications experts claim that the Social Media Revolution is changing the world. One change that took place at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Air Reserve Station was that the Air Force computer network went "socially" live in May after the Department of Defense decided to open military networks to social media sites. "Our computer network was opened May 3 as part of the Air Force's three-part phased plan to allow access to social media sites," said Lt. Col. Richard Erredge, 934th Communications Flight commander. "The decision to provide access to various social networking sites stems from the desire to provide military members access for morale/networking purposes. Accordingly, all personnel will be allowed to utilize Internet-based capabilities via the Air Force network, including social media sites, for official and limited personal use." So, tweet, flick, link and blog away but do so with one thing in mind -- Core Values: Service before self, integrity and excellence in all you do. "Remember that all Airmen, including Reservists, are essentially on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week and must consistently live by Air Force standards and Core Values, said Col. Ron Wilt, 934th Operations Group commander. "Supervisors, managers and commanders must ensure there is no abuse of this new social media usage privilege." Service before self - Are you putting the 934th AW mission before your social media site usage or are you seeing who is following you on Twitter or sent you an instant message on FaceBook? Integrity - Are you going to appropriate sites during your lunch break or sneeking a peek at the hottest new YouTube video while your boss isn't looking? Excellence in all you do - Are you posting positive comments on blogs that help others or venting frustrations negatively using your personal blog on company time? These are some of the questions to ask when accepting the opportunity to use Air Force networks to access social media sites. To help unit members understand the social media rules of engagement, the staff of the Air Force Public Affairs Agency's Emerging Technology Division has developed a guidebook for social media etiquette to accompany the Air Force Instruction 35-113. This guidebook is available online at www.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-091210-043.pdf. The opening of these sites also means that organizations can create topic-related pages using this technology but must be in constant liaison with Public Affairs and the unit Operations Security manager to ensure they are in compliance with regulations and policies. In other words, an organization cannot simply create a FaceBook page and call it official without first ensuring it meets PA and OPSEC guidance. For a list of authorized, official Air Force social media sites, visit www.defense.gov/RegisteredSites/SocialMediaSites.aspx.One final thought -- posting inappropriate information on social media sites through the Air Force network and any OPSEC violations are punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice so users should ensure they comply with AFI 33-129. Social media quick reference Do: Correct misrepresentations made about the Air Force in the media through your own blog and point out the error respectfully and factually without emotion, opinion or arguments Use your best judgment, remembering that there are always consequences to what is written - once it is out on the Web you can't get it back or delete it, you can only correct the record Think before you act - if you are about to post something that is questionable and may reflect negatively on the Air Force, ask for guidance from your supervisor or PA office Inform readers that the views expressed and posted by you on any social media site are yours alone and that they do not necessarily reflect the views of the Air Force -- use a disclaimer such as "The postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent Air Force positions, strategies, or opinions." Talk about your career field or personal experiences as long as you do not discuss areas of expertise for which you have no first-hand, direct background or knowledge Remember that you are responsibile for what you post Don't: Post defamatory, libelous, vulgar, obscene, abusive, profane, threatening, hateful, racially, ethnically, or otherwise offensive or illegal information or material Post anything protected by copyright without the permission of the copyright owner (e.g. logos, cartoons, photos) Use words, logos or other marks that would infringe upon the trademark, service mark, certification mark, or other intellectual property rights without the permission of its owners Post classified or sensitive information Post information that would infringe upon the proprietary, privacy, or personal rights of others Forge or manipulate identifiers in posts in an attempt to disguise, impersonate, or otherwise misrepresent their identity or affiliation with any other person or entity.