General guidance for UK Armed Forces and MOD personnel when online
This guidance is for UK Service and MOD civilian personnel making personal use of the internet and applies to any engagement with any website, blog, photo or video channel, bulletin board or online forum, social network, wiki or multiplayer game.
- Service and MOD civilian personnel are expected to adhere to the same high standards of conduct and behaviour online as they would in any other aspect of their professional or personal lives.
- Be aware of the dangers to yourself and others in sharing information online. Always maintain personal, information and operational security. It is essential that all staff follow the separate security guidance and seek advice from their chain of command if in any doubt.
- You are allowed to identify yourself as a Serviceperson / MOD civilian, for example in a user profile or photograph. This can include stating your trade or occupation with the Services/MOD, subject to the security guidance and any local security guidance (for example, any connection with Special Forces or Northern Ireland must not be disclosed).
- Don't publish information about third parties (including colleagues) without their permission.
- You do not need to seek clearance to publish material not connected with your work, for example material relating to your personal hobbies and interests.
- You must seek authorisation before publishing any wider information relating to your work which:
- Relates to operations or deployments
- reflects on wider Defence and Armed Forces activity;
- attempts to speak, or could be interpreted as speaking on behalf of your Service or the MOD;
- or, relates to classified , operational, controversial or political matters.
- Think about your personal reputation. Don't publish anything you wouldn't be happy for your parents or your children to see.
- You are not prohibited from expressing views (for example, on a bulletin board, joining a campaign or signing a petition) but should avoid being drawn into making attributable comments on controversial matters.
- When taking part in a campaign you should not use your rank (i.e. use Mr Smith not Major Smith) or indicate you are a MOD Civil Servant, as this could be taken by other readers as official endorsement.
- If you wish to start a poll, petition or other campaign which relates to Defence or Armed Forces, seek permission first.
- You are not prohibited from editing Wikis if you have useful information to contribute, but you should avoid attempting to edit material relating to your work "officially" unless authorised.
- You can act anonymously or pseudonymously in a personal capacity where appropriate but must (i) still follow this guidance (ii) be aware that very few things on the internet are genuinely anonymous and most can be traced, potentially by someone hostile and (iii) understand that Service, MOD and other authorities will pursue serious breaches of the rules, regardless of whether the person intended to publish anonymously.
- Consider using or referring to material on Service and MOD corporate websites in your conversations.
- Consider volunteering to operate a "sponsored" online presence if you believe your work is worth sharing with a wider audience.
- If unsure, always seek advice from your Commanding Officer or Line Manager before going ahead.