Online misconduct addressed

Social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr and the numerous other sites are great communication tools, but their use invokes heavy responsibility for Marines and Sailors. 

Online misconduct addressed

Social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr and the numerous other sites are great communication tools, but their use invokes heavy responsibility for Marines and Sailors. Recently, the Headquarters Marine Corps inspector general addressed this responsibility in a message to commanders and their associated inspector general offices.

“This is the first time I have seen the (inspector general of the Marine Corps) come down with a message addressing concerns regarding social media,” said Terry Rudisill, the command inspector general for 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.

The message was spurred by concern about complaints the office has received regarding inappropriate sites and posts on a variety of social media outlets. Over the past 10 years, Headquarters U.S. Marine Corps has dealt with complaints about social media. There have been instances of pages being removed and individuals held accountable for their activity on social media.

Some recent trends involving misconduct have revolved around opening of formerly all-male military occupational specialties to females. Numerous social media pages and comments have gained national attention due to the degrading posts about female Marines.

Online misconduct is not defined solely on these types of posts.

The guidance set forth in the Marine Corps’ Social Media Handbook states Marines shall not post “anything that is defamatory, libelous, obscene, abusive, threatening, racially or ethnically hateful, or otherwise offensive or illegal information or material.”

Misconduct over the internet, to include social media, can paint a negative picture of Marines to a vast audience and invite scrutiny of the Corps as a whole.

Source: DVIDS.