US Army to spy on soldier and family blogs

US Army to spy on soldier and family blogs

88.80.13.160

The US Army has formed an "Army Web Risk Assessment Cell" to spy on the personal blogs and forum posts of soldiers and their families, according to a confidential military document released today by the transparency group Wikileaks.
The cell is to "Conduct routine checks of web sites on the World Wide Web for disclosure of critical and/or sensitive information that is deemed a potential OPSEC compromise."
The passage comes from a March update to the US Army's 2007 "Operations Security" regulation 530-1, which is the Army's high-level document on how the service should keep secrets.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Why am I not surprised? Why is the Army on personal blogs and forum post? Maybe, just maybe the Army is trying to keep the situaton in Iraq under wrap from the media and eventually the American public,(if like most Americans give a &*!t).

88.80.13.160
(visit the link for the full news article)


FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Army Regulation 530-1

[edit on 10-4-2008 by Master_Wii]

[edit on 10-4-2008 by Master_Wii]

[edit on 10-4-2008 by Master_Wii]

Where do these soldiers find the time to sit around posting to blogs and web sites anyway? Aren't they supposed to be fighting? Also, where are all the laptops and computers coming from?

Are they using military computers and servers to blog with, or are they now permitted to have their own computers in the battlefield?

Learn what OPSEC means, then revise your military bashing attitude. OPSEC violations can occur accidentally by serving members or military related civilians and such information disclosure can cause great harm in the wrong hands. It has nothing to do with freedom of speech, but it does have to do with sensitive operational information being either accidentally or intentionally released to the public.

Hello Government, how are you today?

So I guess I am monitored now because my brother is in the Army. Not only do I have to worry about his safety everyday, I have to worry about what I say now. Hooray America!

Well, big deal.

During WW2, soldiers mail was censored by officers to make sure that nothing was passed back that could put themselves or other troops in harms way.

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Learn what OPSEC means, then revise your military bashing attitude.

I'm sorry who was bashing the military? I asked a simple question, and you went off the deep end. Are you the official spokesperson for the Military now?

OPSEC violations can occur accidentally by serving members or military related civilians and such information disclosure can cause great harm in the wrong hands. It has nothing to do with freedom of speech, but it does have to do with sensitive operational information being either accidentally or intentionally released to the public.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I saw some of those pictures posted by soldiers who were stationed at Abhu Ghraib.

The military really needs to get a reign on these individuals who inadvertently disclose sensitive materials like that.

[edit on 4/10/08 by LLoyd45]

Originally posted by LLoyd45
Yeah, I know what you mean. I saw some of those pictures posted by soldiers who were stationed at Abhu Ghraib.

The military really needs to get a reign on these individuals who inadvertently disclose sensitive materials like that.

Well, a better example is Geraldo drawing out in the dirt troop movements when he was tagging along with the 101st Airborne. That's an OPSEC violation.

reply to post by jerico65
I agree, Geraldo is an idiot. Remember Al Capone's vaults? His still hasn't lived that one down.

Originally posted by LLoyd45
[Yeah, I know what you mean. I saw some of those pictures posted by soldiers who were stationed at Abhu Ghraib.

The military really needs to get a reign on these individuals who inadvertently disclose sensitive materials like that.

And that is not an OPSEC violation, but actually a Geneva Convention violation. You're not suppose to photograph POWs.

And a common sense violation on the guards, too. Guess that's a superpower, since it's so rare.

reply to post by WestPoint23


Im siding with you on this one. This seems to me to be about mission sensitive information leaks; troop positions, movements, up coming patrols, etc.

Most CTists already believe the government is watching them, is it really a surprise that the US Army would watch its soldiers writings online?

I'm with West Point on this one too. I don't like the idea of Big Brother snooping around anymore than the next CTist, but it's important to understand that military personnel don't have the same rights and priveleges as civilians.

I'd imagine every military member on this board is being closely monitored. Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get you..

A simple slip of the lip could result in a court martial or censure depending upon the sensitivity of the information. Like most people soldiers like to brag too, and demonstrate their knowledge of military matters. It's just human nature to do so.

Unless the military is willing to remove the temptation (web access), these type of violations are almost certain to continue.

reply to post by LLoyd45

Unless the military is willing to remove the temptation (web access), these type of violations are almost certain to continue.

When you're in the desert, you have comms blackouts. Ususally when someone gets killed, so the family can be properly notified instead of hearing about it some crappy way. This applies to civilian contractors as well. Of course, there are plenty of situations that a blackout might be ordered.

We need the NSA to spy on the people to make sure the people stay in line.

We also need the army to spy on its soldiers for the same reason.

Then we need people to spy on the people who are spying to be sure they are doing their job.

And another agency spying on those who spy on the agency that spies on the public and army to make sure they're not committing crimes against the state.

We also need a ministry of truth to modify the information the public receives, so that they don't get any smart ideas.

Then a security ministry, which really just kills people who are trouble.

And a side agency which gets rid of those security folks who think they can turn on the government.

I need a number of bodyguards and an armored limo to take me to work.

And some folks to watch these folks and make sure they're loyal to the party.

We need some mobile execution trucks to round random people up now and then, and show them who is in charge.

And some folks to randomly drop violence and chaos onto the public so that they're scared enough to keep asking the government for help.

We'll have to pay for all of this, so we'll have to tax the hell out of anyone left in society who isn't working for us. They won't like that.

So we'll need some thugs to go around and break their legs if they don't pay.

Also, we could offer rewards to the public for turning in their neighbors if they suspect their neighbors to be anti-government. Of course, we would simply execute both of them, because a bullet is cheaper than money.

Once in a while we'll publicize a "hero" or "patriot" on the state owned television networks, and glorify their lifestyle, make them look rich, happy, and healthy and thank them for enabling us to maintain our strangle hold.


Wait a second... I got a hunch one of my generals will betray me. Where's a rope? I could be wrong, but better safe than sorry.


Hmm... what else? Have I thought of everything?