The Military Website Ban: How It's Playing in Topeka

The ban of the use of 13 (quite) disparate Web sites and services on the U.S. military network was announced earlier this week. While the action was covered by the Washington Post (front page), the San Francisco Chronicle, broadcast outlets like the Bay Area's KTVU (above) and the Daily Show, I was surprised by the relative lack of blogtopia chatter about the move (there were notable exceptions).

So, instead of finding worthy discussion via Technorati, it proved more fruitful to go to places like Topeka, Corpus Christi, and Lubbock for reaction.

Todd Garvin, a columnist from Glasgow, Kentucky writes:

The military’s decision to block access to sites such as YouTube and MySpace makes about as much sense as attacking Madagascar.

The Pentagon cites one reason for the denial of Web access as security. Although one could make an argument that an online video might tip the enemy off to troop positions, do military officials really expect us to believe that militants and terrorists aren’t tracking that information with intelligence other than Google?

Besides, it’s highly doubtful that the men and women of the armed services are posting things such as, “Hey, Mom. Can’t type long today because we’re attacking the third house from the northeast corner on Habib Street at 5:17 p.m. with 13 riflemen and an M1 Abrams and Apache attack helicopter in support.”

Another reason for not allowing access to certain sites was bandwidth, or the transmission capacity of a network.

So, fix it. It’s really that simple ... or at least it should be.

But, a Topeka TV station interviewed a veteran, David Sweeney, who agreed with the move:

... some soldiers and family in Manhattan say this won't affect their contact with their loved ones, and may even keep them safe.

“They have Internet availability most places they’re deployed,” Sweeney said. “I’ve got a friend who’s deployed right now and we talk back and forth on the computer, but not over MySpace.”

“I’m not a big fan of independent communication because I think a lot of people wind up saying things that ought not to be said."

A Corpus Christi columnist writes about a soldier who recently returned from Iraq and relied on MySpace to connect with home...

During his time in Iraq, Sergio said there was a senior officer who pushed to have MySpace banned because he believed service personnel needed to keep their head in the game.

Sergio said he can understand the need to stay focused and safe. But he doesn't understand how anyone could think MySpace would make him forget where he was or that he had a job to do.

If anything, he said, it helped remind him why he was there.

The Fayetteville Observer editorializes on the issue:

....It’s true that some of the postings are crude, blood-spattered and unflattering to the higher-ups. Others are more like electronic versions of the group photos in the company area that Grandpa sent home from France or Korea. Many, including some of the postings involving units of the 82nd Airborne and other divisions of the 18th Airborne Corps, involve no more than images of troops in training at Fort Bragg. There’s no dearth of thoroughly gung-ho postings. What is missing, from all of those that we viewed, is anything that might be helpful to an enemy.

In the end, all of those affected by the new policy may have to seek consolation in the knowledge that the conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere will not be won or lost based on how many government sites are put to the task of inspiring hope, or on how little private access survives to convey the grunt’s perspective on all this.

And, a Lubbock TV station gives an example of a how an innovative soldier uses a helmet cam to give loved insight into his Iraq deployment.

Those opposed to the ban now have Congressman Ed Markey (D-Mass) and Senator John Warner (R-Va) asking questions of the military about it. Warner has vowed to pursue the matter and Markey has sent a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates (pdf).

Meanwhile, via AP, the military says:

"These actions were taken to enhance and increase network security and protect the use of the bandwidth," said Col. Gary Keck, a Pentagon spokesman.

The Pentagon said that use of the video sites in particular was putting a strain on the network, and also opening it to potential viruses or penetration by so-called "phishing" attacks in which scam artists try to steal sensitive data by mimicking legitimate Web sites.

"The U.S. Army's not going to pay the bill for you to get on MySpace and YouTube," said Maj. Bruce Mumford, of Chester, Neb., who is serving as the brigade communications officer for the 4th Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, in Iraq. "Soldiers need to know what they can and cannot do, but we shouldn't be facilitating it."

Comments

[softdev]

good article to read....

[Horsedouble]

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