Recently, the Army's new regulation on blogging was unveiled, prompting a great deal of criticism.

This morning, this headline appears:

Pentagon: NoSpace for MySpace

In summary, the DoD has now begun blocking access to sites like MySpace and YouTube. They claim that the reason is the security risk posed by those sites, and an interest in reducing drag on DoD networks:

"This recreational traffic impacts our official DoD network and bandwidth ability, while posing a significant operational security challenge."

Troops can still access those sites with their own computers - which doesn't help our deployed troops with access only to DoD networks.

All issues with those sites aside, they have represented a link for our troops to their loved ones at home - a place to share videos, pictures, and updates with family and friends back home - and a place where people can find out what's going on from sources other than mainstream media.

In the wake of extensions and a crack-down on bloggers, this could further damage morale. In addition, keep stifling the word coming out of the field, and you look like you have something to hide - even if you don't.

And not to put too fine a point on it, but if operational security and the function of DoD computer systems is severely compromised by a Soldier posting a video on YouTube, or viewing one, then I'm REALLY concerned.

Labels: opinion