Soldiers warned to use caution as social media use grows

FORT BLISS, TEXAS – Soldiers using social media – a tool often used by members of the military to keep in contact with family from far away places and to combat depression – have been warned to be vigilant about their public footprint. Army personnel have been warned to employ “Think, Type, Post” when engaging on social sites,” according to a Pentagon memo to members of the military. “This is pretty much common sense stuff,” Capt. Traun C. Moore, of the 24th press camp headquarters and a public information officer. “There is operational security that we always have to keep in mind when putting information on these platforms. We wouldn’t want to put any of our soldiers or their families at risk, so yes, everything is screened before it goes up and published to these platforms.”

An Associated Press article this year reported that the Pentagon said that nearly 6,200 military members had been photographed in sexually explicit photos, the photos were later shared on different social platforms against their will by someone from work. The Pentagon also reported that more than 22,000 people among all U.S. services said they were uncomfortable and mad when someone they knew from work sent them pornography via social media.