Doesn't the military realize that social networking sites are the only way officers can keep in touch with their family and friends?

The argument is not what you can do with your online space. It is whether or not the military or corporate networks should permit you to use their platforms to connect to your online space. Do whatever you want from home or on your cell phone.

As for communication with family while stationed, there are other more traditional platforms to do this on (phone, email) which offer the military the necessary control they require over their technical infrastructure.

i agree with jessica, but it also can be a dangerous if their share the wrong information.

Jessica Griffin - actually, email, phone calls and old fashioned snail mail is also the tried and true way of keeping up with family.

Most of us are on military internet which only allow us on .mil secured websites, so social networking isn't generally an option when in an army situation.

"Doesn't the military realize that social networking sites are the only way officers can keep in touch with their family and friends?"

Is that because you think only officers deserve to use social networking, or do you think enlisted personnel are simply too dumb, too uneducated, and low class to use social networking?

I agree with Kat, snail mail and the occasional precious phone call did wonders for me to stay in contact with family, especially when using military networks was not advisable.

@Jrandom, I remember an NPR report that talked about class difference in the early days of social networks. It talked about how officers used Facebook and Myspace was for enlisted men. That was back in the days when Facebook required a .edu email address.

"Is that because you think only officers deserve to use social networking, or do you think enlisted personnel are simply too dumb, too uneducated, and low class to use social networking?"

Jrandom, if I ever said that - i'd be deluding myself. While I have many "college friends" who commissioned with me on my facebook, it is my ENLISTED soldiers who friend me on facebook. Mainly because most officers that I didn't graduate with don't have any social network profiles.

The problem is that so many people who aren't military don't realize that snail mail is even still an option. Nowadays, NOT having internet is unfathomable. And VSAT's don't count as "internet". When on any military assignment, I'm prepared to use payphones and pen and paper. Going old school! All my "fringe friends" have to get their updates from the one or two people I like enough to actually call.

Of course it should be banned, are people so silly as to not see the security risk? Marines can still use these things on their personal off network computers, and that is how it should be. The DOD has some work is progress plans for what is to be done further with this. I can't see this as an issue at all.

As for corporate America, I understand it in some cases, a privately run company has to do what it has to do, and eventually they will do what is best for them. It may or may not be social metowrking.

The ESPN thing doesn't appear all that unreasonable to me either, "This applies to all ESPN Talent, anchors, play by play, hosts, analysts, commentators, reporters and writers who participate in any form of personal social networking that contain sports related content."

They can leave what they do at work, the sports related stuff out of it, and restrictions don't apply ,so what is the problem? None.

My first job out of school was writing propositions papers for an international refugees agency, and then working with the resettlement issues. It would have been inappropriate to comment on what I was doing or opine about it in social networking circles. I imagine it is pretty much the same for most people in their jobs.

This is misleading. Im a Marine who works at a computer most of the time and Ive never been allowed to access these sites through NMCI, the network we use to access the internet. Im surprised I can get on this site. When I go back to my apartment after work, I can do whatever I want.

The Armed Forces are doing it to limit security problems. They don't want a "grunt" to Tweet that they were just in a gunfight in someplace. I think this is legitimate. Also, there is a class separation between officers and enlisted men. Enlisted personnel come from the bottom 10% of most graduating high school classes. Not saying one is better, just that there is a difference. ESPN is limiting personnel because they don't want the talent to become bigger than the brand. Back in the 'old day' guys like Olberman, Kilborn, et al became too big. The new guy in charge at ESPN is a sales guy and why let talent give sports scoops on Twitter. That news has to be saved for their shows, to keep the $$$ flowing. That is why they didn't report on the Ben Rothliesberger alleged rape incident. Didn't want to upset the NFL and find their dollars and access diminished.

Panther -

Your instincts are on point. Furthermore, your company's policy is going to create problems that extend well beyond employee unrest.

Organizations that refuse to embrace social media (again, I'm talking white collar) will get slower and slower as their competition embraces the power of online communities.