This document provides extensive social media guidance. It contains information for Army leaders, guidance for Army Families, operations security tips, branding information, checklists, regulations ...
This document provides extensive social media guidance. It contains information for Army leaders, guidance for Army Families, operations security tips, branding information, checklists, regulations and frequently asked questions. The 2011 Social Media Handbook is your one-stop-shop for Army social media information.
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Letter from the Chief of Public Affairs Team, I want to recognize and applaud all the great Social media is constantly evolving, and it is not work each of you are doing to help the Army going away. Soldiers have always been and al- tell our story. ways will be our best story tellers – they are the Strength of the Nation. Social media helps us As communicators, we operate in a 24-hour connect America to its Army and assists us in news cycle with the news moving faster than reaching new demographics. ever before. In order to be successful at telling the Army’s story, we must take full advantage Best of luck with your social media endeavors.SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK of all the communication tools at our disposal. We look forward to working with all of you as we continue to improve the way we tell the It is important to be as transparent as possible. Army’s story through social media. Please reach As communicators, we need to be the first with out to our Online and Social Media Division if the truth, whether it’s good or bad. Social me- you need any assistance. dia allows us to do that while also painting a vi- sual picture which allows us to shape messages. Recently, Army organizations have used social media to communicate during times of crisis. Communications regarding the earthquake in STEPHEN R. LANZA Japan, the tsunami threat in Hawaii, the torna- Major General, USA[ II ] does and floods in the Midwest - all benefited Chief of Public Affairs from Army communicators turning to social media to inform and update the public and the community.THE UNITED STATES ARMY In today’s media environment, understanding social media, especially as it relates to time, can help you excel as an Army communicator. People expect news to find them through social media platforms, so when breaking news hap- pens, one of the first places they turn is social media. Social media can be a valuable tool for Army organizations. It helps Army organiza- tions and Army commands establish credibility, accessibility and authenticity. In this edition of the Social Media Handbook, we have included updates to Army social me- dia policy and new examples of Army leaders using social media effectively. We provided in- structions on how to respond to social media imposters and fake sites. We have also included an expanded operations security section and added an extensive social media glossary.
Social Media SummaryWhat is social media? the Army Family joins Army social media, it in- creases the timely and transparent dissemina-Social media represents a shift in the way we as tion of information. It ensures that the Army’sa culture communicate. By using Internet-based story is shared honestly and directly to Ameri-platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and You- cans where they are and whenever they wantTube, social media provides new ways to con- to see, read or hear it. Social media allows ev-nect, interact and learn. People no longer look ery Soldier to be a part of the Army story andfor news; the news find them. And in the world it allows America to connect with its Army. So-of social media, the perception of truth can be cial media is a cheap, effective and measurablejust as powerful as the truth itself. The Internet form of communication. The Army uses social THE UNITED STATES ARMYmoves information quickly, whether for good media to tell the Army’s story, but it also usesor bad. Social media, with a variety of available social media to listen.platforms, can instantaneously connect userswithin a global network, making the transferof information even more pervasive. Today, so- What does the DoD say about social media?cial media use is so widespread and transparent On February 25, 2010, the DoD re-issued a Direc-that you may already be involved even if you tive-Type Memorandum providing guidelinesare not actively participating. It is a highly ef- for military use of social media and acknowl-fective tool for reaching large communities and edged “that Internet-based capabilities are in-audiences. But this substantial ability to connect tegral to operations across the Department ofwith the masses is not without its risks. Using Defense.” On March 1, 2011, William J. Lynn III,social media to spread information is becoming the Deputy Secretary of Defense, reauthorizedthe standard, so it is important to understand Directive-Type Memorandum (DTM) 09-026 –the power, the benefits and the risks associated Responsible and Effective Use of Internet-based [1]with using the various platforms. Capabilities (Enclosure 3). The move extends the DTM through January 2012 and outlines how SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOKArmy social media the NIPRNET should be configured to allow ac-The Army recognizes that social media gives cess to Internet-based capabilities across allpeople the ability to communicate with larg- DoD components. All service branches are usinger audiences faster and in new ways. It has social media at different levels, but this DTM in-become an important tool for Army messag- dicates that use of social media in the DoD ising and outreach. The Army uses a variety of authorized. The extension is not a permanentsocial media platforms designed to support solution, but it allows the military to continuea range of media from text, audio, pictures using social media until a more permanent listand videos; all of which are generated and of rules and regulations is established.maintained by organizations and individualswithin the Army Family. The Army understands The way forwardthe risks associated with social media and has The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defensedeveloped training to help Soldiers and Family is currently working on all-encompassing policymembers use social media responsibly (www. including data points currently listed in DTM 09-slideshare.net/USArmySocialMedia). 026 as well as updates to the DoD’s 1998 web policy. The DoD instruction is in the creationWhy use social media? stage since this policy is presently in draft form.Soldiers have always been the Army’s best and Once vetted and approved, the instruction willmost effective messengers. Today, Army social be a compendium of everything that will bemedia enables the Army Family around town, needed for use of Internet-based capabilities –around the country and around the world to to include content on ethics, operations securi-stay connected and spread the Army’s key ty and information assurance. Once published,themes and messages. Every time a member of it will be posted on the Army’s SlideShare site.
Social Media for Soldiers and Army Personnel Joining social networks Security items to consider Soldiers will naturally seek out involvement in • Look closely at all privacy settings. Set se- social media platforms if they haven’t already. curity options to allow visibility to “friends Social media helps individuals with similar in- only.” terests connect and interact. Soldiers are autho- rized to use and belong to a variety of social • Do not reveal sensitive information about media platforms as long as their involvement yourself such as schedules and event loca- does not violate unit policy and the basic guide- tions. lines of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. • Ask, “What could the wrong person do withSOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK this information?” and “Could it compro- Lay out the guidelines mise the safety of myself, my family or my All leaders should communicate social media unit?” expectations with their Soldiers. It is important • Geotagging is a feature that reveals your lo- to outline unit policy and make sure all Soldiers cation to other people within your network. know what they can and cannot do when using Consider turning off the GPS function of various social media platforms. A generic unit your smartphone and digital camera. policy can be found on the Army’s SlideShare site and it can be customized to each unit. • Photos and videos can go viral quickly. Close- ly review them before posting to ensure they Follow the Uniform Code of Military Justice don’t give away sensitive information which Soldiers using social media must abide by the could be dangerous if released.[2] Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) at all • Talk to your family about operations secu- times. Commenting, posting or linking to ma- rity. Be sure they know what can and cannot terial that violates the UCMJ or basic rules of be posted.THE UNITED STATES ARMY Soldier conduct is prohibited. Social media provides the opportunity for Soldiers to speak freely about their activities and interests. How- ever, Soldiers are subject to UCMJ even when off duty, so talking negatively about supervisors or releasing sensitive information is punishable under the UCMJ. It is important that all Soldiers know that once they log on to a social media platform, they still represent the Army.
Social Media Standards for Army LeadersSocial media for leaders ers cannot require that members of their unit accept a friend request from their personal pro-Social media has improved the way we commu- file account.nicate, but social media use can present somechallenges for leaders. Leader conduct onlineOnline relationships When in a position of leadership, conduct on- line should be professional. By using socialSocial media is about connecting, so it is only media, leaders are essentially providing a per-natural that Army leaders may interact and manent record of what they say. If you wouldfunction in the same social media spaces as THE UNITED STATES ARMY not say it in front of a formation, do not say ittheir subordinates. How they connect and in- online. If a leader finds evidence of a Soldierteract with their subordinates online is left to violating command policy or the UCMJ on so-their discretion, but it is advised that the online cial media platforms, then that leader shouldrelationship function in the same manner as the respond in the same manner they would if theyprofessional relationship. witnessed the infraction in any other environ- ment.Should Soldiers “follow” those in theircommand? Self promotionThis is also left to the discretion of the Army Using rank, job, and/or responsibilities in or-leader. Ultimately, it depends on how that lead- der to promote oneself online for personal orer uses social media. If the leader is using social financial gain is not appropriate. Such actionsmedia as a way to receive command and unit can damage the image of the Army and an in-information along with installation updates, [3] dividual command.then following members in a leader’s commandis appropriate. But if the leader is using social Paid submissions SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOKmedia as a way to keep in touch with familyand friends, it may not make sense to follow Treat requests from non-governmental blogspeople in the leader’s chain of command. Lead- for a blog post as a media request and coordi- nate with your public affairs officer. It is against Army regulations to accept compensation for such posts.
OPSEC and Safe Social Networking Safe social networking Privacy settings Social media has become a big part of our Army Understanding what you can and cannot post lives. It helps organizations share information on social media platforms goes a long way in and keeps Soldiers, Family members and Army protecting yourself online, but more can be Civilians connected to loved ones. We depend done by adjusting your privacy settings. For ex- on social media, but it can be extremely danger- ample, Facebook’s default privacy settings are ous if you are not careful. Do you know what often public, but the platform provides various information you can post about your job? Did options that help users adjust and customize you know people can use social media to steal their privacy settings. Similarly, Twitter allows your identity? Did you know you can be at risk, users to keep their Tweets private and FlickrSOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK even if you don’t use social media? Operations gives users the option of keeping photos pri- security (OPSEC) and personal privacy concerns vate. The settings are easily accessible; the trick should be paramount when using social media. is setting them to meet your privacy needs. OPSEC in daily interactions Geotagging safety Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Geotagging is the process of YouTube and Flickr are be- adding geographical identifi- coming more important in cation to photographs, video, day-to-day interactions. Since websites and SMS messages. social media use is so com- It is the equivalent of adding monplace, it is easy to be- a 10-digit grid coordinate to come complacent when using everything you post on the[4] the platforms. But in order internet. Geotags are some- to maintain OPSEC, it is im- times automatically embed- portant to remain vigilant at ded in pictures taken withTHE UNITED STATES ARMY all times. Sharing seemingly smartphones, digital cam- trivial information online eras, and many people are can be dangerous to loved unaware of the fact that the ones and fellow Soldiers in photos they load to the Inter- the unit—and may even get net have been geotagged. them killed. America’s ene- mies scour blogs, forums, chat Location-based social net- rooms and personal websites working is quickly growing in to piece together information that can harm popularity. A variety of applications are capital- the United States and its Soldiers. Be cautious izing on users’ desire to broadcast their geo- when accepting friend requests and interacting graphic location. The increased popularity of with people online. You should never accept a these applications is changing the way we, as friend request from someone you do not know, a digital culture, view security and privacy on even if they know a friend of yours. Don’t share an individual level. These changes in perception information that you don’t want to become are also creating OPSEC concerns on an Army public. Someone might target you based on the level. One Soldier exposing his/her location can fact that you work in the DoD so be cautious affect the entire mission. Deployed Soldiers or when listing your job, military organization, Soldiers conducting operations in classified ar- education and contact information. Providing eas should not use location-based social net- too much information in your profile can leave working services. These services will bring the you exposed to people who want to steal your enemy right to the Army’s doorstep. identity or sensitive operational information.
THE UNITED STATES ARMY Checklist for Operations Security for Official Army Pages Designate members of your team responsible for posting content to the official online presence and make sure those individuals are current on all OPSEC training. Make sure all content is submitted to and approved by the commander or the organiza- tion’s release authority prior to posting. Make sure all content is posted in accordance with organization Public Affairs guidance [5] and Army regulations. SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK Monitor your social media presence and make sure external social media users are not posting sensitive information on your official presence. Monitor your Facebook wall and comments posted to your YouTube, Flickr and Blog presences. Produce training materials and conduct regular social media OPSEC training within your team and with other units in your organization. Distribute social media OPSEC training to the families of your Soldiers. It is important to keep them just as informed and up-to-date as the Soldiers in your unit. Be vigilant. Never become complacent when it comes to OPSEC. Check social media presences within your organization for OPSEC violations. Never stop working to protect OPSEC. Once the information is out there, you can’t get it back. Making Potentially Dangerous Social Media Posts SaferDangerous SaferMy Soldier is in XYZ at ABC Camp in ABC City, My Soldier is deployed to Afghanistan.Afghanistan.My Soldier will be leaving Kuwait and heading to My Soldier deployed this week.Iraq in three days.My Soldier is coming back at XYZ time on XYZ day. My Soldier will be home this summer.My family is back in Edwardsville, IL. I’m from the Midwest.
Establishing and Maintaining Army Social Media Presences Managing a social media presence to Delegation of Authority – Approval of Exter- nal Official Presences (Enclosure 2). Today, the Army understands that social media has increased the speed and transparency of in- Contact information formation. More Army organizations are using social media for strategic online engagement. It is vitally important to provide up-to-date unit Social media is used in garrison environments, contact information on your social media plat- operational environments and in Family Readi- forms. Facebook pages and YouTube channels ness Groups. Developing a successful social me- are required to provide an AKO email addressSOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK dia presence does not happen overnight. It is a and a mailing address for the unit. However, detailed process that requires extensive plan- since some platforms like Twitter allow less ning and detailed execution. It all starts with space for this information, it is sufficient to pro- stating the organization’s missions, messages vide just an email address. and themes. Terms of use statement Developing a strategy Each social media presence must have a terms Once an organization establishes a direction, it of use statement that informs visitors of what is can begin to develop a social media communi- authorized when interacting on the platform. cation strategy. This strategy must be detailed This terms of use statement should include a and provide input into all the social media plat- general disclaimer, privacy and security dis- forms supported by the organization. The pur- claimers, a copyright and trademark disclaimer,[6] pose of using social media is to place your unit’s moderated presence disclaimer and a Freedom messages in the social media space. But in order of Information Act notice. For an example of to keep people coming back to the pages, units a terms of use statement, review the Army’sTHE UNITED STATES ARMY should develop a strategy that mixes these mes- terms of use statement on the Army’s official sages with items the audience finds interesting. Facebook page: goo.gl/ySaQx. Language should be conversational, fun and engaging. Also, keep in mind that official use of social media platforms must be in compli- ance with Army public affairs policy. Content must be in the public domain or approved for release by the commanding officer. Commands are ultimately responsible for content posted on their platforms. Registration DTM 09-026 requires that all official social me- dia presences be registered with the DoD. Reg- istering the presence indicates that it is official. To register with the Army, visit: www.army.mil/ socialmedia. Once a site is approved, it appears on the Army social media directory and is in- cluded in any DoD Terms of Service Agreements. Another benefit to registering is that Facebook will remove paid advertisements from all offi- cial Army Facebook pages. For more informa- tion on the social media approval process, refer
Enforce posting policy and monitor comments tant to spend time responding to questions to establish a valued relationship with users. TheIt is good to have a posting policy, but just be- one-on-one conversations will show the com-cause a posting policy is in place does not mean munity that their voices are being heard.everyone will follow it. Make sure to reviewwall posts frequently and remove posts that vio- Measurementlate the posting policy. Keep in mind that socialmedia doesn’t take a break for the weekend. In Ten years ago, the success and reach of a newssome instances, weekend activity on Facebook story could be measured by the size of a news-can be busier than the week, so watch the or- paper’s circulation or the number of clicks onganization’s wall every day, even on days off, a website. Today, measurement is about moreholidays and weekends. than just numbers. It is about trends and hu- man feedback. Social media sites like Facebook, THE UNITED STATES ARMYEngage the audience Twitter, Flickr and YouTube provide their own free analytics tools that allow administratorsSocial media is more than just a platform to to track views, impressions and comments. Bypush command messages; it is a social com- using numbers in conjunction with commentsmunity. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter and reader feedback, it is easier than ever tohelp people bridge geographical gaps to con- determine how organizational messages arenect, talk and interact. Using social media can received and how the audience is respondingbe valuable to a communication strategy, but to the content. Some analytics tools provideit needs to be more than a sounding board for graphs and charts, but ultimately the presenta-organization messages. Social media should be tion of information depends on the platform.used to facilitate the conversation, engage the These different presentations make for a richerpopulation and keep people interested in the statistical analysis. Using free analytics tools candiscussion to bring America closer to its Army. help a unit demonstrate the usefulness of a so-Listen to the audience cial media platform, and even highlight the suc- [7] cess of a specific social media campaign.By reading the comments on a Facebook wall or SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOKblog post, social media managers can get a feelfor what the online community wants to hear.It is also useful talk to your audience directly.Ask for feedback and suggestions, and then acton their responses. A social media presence ac-complishes very little if the audience is not in-terested in what is being said.Mix it upBalance “fun” with “medicine.” It is importantto post command messages and organizationalinformation, but try to keep the page enter-taining enough for people to want to follow it.Don’t be afraid to have fun by posting interest-ing links or asking trivia questions. Try postinga photo of the day or asking a weekly question.Social media is social, so it is important not tofall into the trap of talking at your audience.Answer questionsOnce a social media presence grows to a cer-tain size, the population will likely use it as a re-source and forum to ask questions. It is impor-
Using Social Media for Crisis Communications Promote organizational social media presences Crisis management It is important to tell the social media commu- Using social media to communicate with stake- nity that you’re out there. Attach links to social holders during a crisis has proven to be effec- media platforms at the bottom of press releas- tive due to its speed, reach and direct access. In es and in the signature block of official emails recent crises, social media has helped distribute from your office. The more you get the word command information to key audiences and about out a social media presence, the faster media, while also providing a means for dia- the community that follows it will grow. logue among the affected and interested par- ties. For a case study on how to use social media Post content to social media platforms often in a crisis situation, refer to this Army presenta-SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK tion: goo.gl/4S1HA. A static social media presence is ineffective. Static pages are boring and visitors to the page You can’t force trust lose interest quickly. If content on the page is not regularly updated, people will stop com- The best course of action during a crisis is to le- ing by to view the page. Carefully select links verage existing social media presences. It is im- to stories, unit videos and photos related to the portant to have a regularly updated channel of organization’s mission. Social media platforms communication between the organization and are designed to support various forms of con- key audiences before a crisis hits so they know tent, so take advantage of that. Once informa- where to find information online. tion is cleared by a release authority, post it. Social media moves information quicker than Monitor content from users ever, so don’t wait for a press release. If the[8] Monitor content posted by users to get a better information is there and approved for release, understanding of what information they want/ use it. This includes information about negative need. Staff posts appropriately to answer ques- news items, as well.THE UNITED STATES ARMY tions as best as possible. This ensures that your audience knows the organization is listening. Build a community A large social media following doesn’t happen Post cleared information as it comes in over night, so relax and execute the social me- When a crisis hits, there’s no need to wait for dia strategy. The better an organization is at a formal press release. When you have solid, providing good information and engaging its approved/cleared information that audiences social media audience, the faster the following want to know, post it. You can always post up- will grow. dated information as it becomes available. Not posting updates quickly during a crisis, or not keeping the community informed may damage the organization’s credibility. The March 2011 Japan Tsunami is a good example of how the Army successfully used social media to get critical information to key audiences during a crisis.
THE UNITED STATES ARMYUse mobile devices The social media community is large and it is possible to reach a lot of people through an ex-Keep your social media presences up-to-date by tended network in the social media space.using mobile devices, if necessary. The myriadof mobile devices available today allow you to Encourage people on the scene to send infoupdate social sites without being tied to yourcomputer at a desk. Crisis happen all the time, Organizations can do this by having individualsso be prepared. Whether the installation is on on the scene either use their personal accounts [9]lockdown, you’re waiting out a storm or you’re or feed you information to post on the officialat a remote site at the scene, mobile devices al- command social sites. No matter how the infor- SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOKlow you to share quick updates immediately. mation is submitted, the command site shouldMake sure to ensure your mobile devices are promote this content when appropriate. It alsocontinuously charged. Be creative in finding helps to follow trends and related pages sopower solutions that work for your situation. your organization can repurpose information when appropriate.Answer questions Promote social media presencesAvoid just posting information on a social me-dia presence. Be prepared to receive questions. Organizations should advertise their socialRespond back as quickly as possible through the media presences on outgoing press releases,most appropriate means of communication. email signatures, links on the home page and in conversations with reporters. The social me-Monitor conversations dia presence isn’t helpful if people don’t know about it. Be aggressive when sending out infor-Listen to what audiences are talking about and mation and make sure the public knows thatbe prepared to engage. This is the best way the organization’s social media presences are ato stop rumors before they run rampant. Use good resource for information.search engines and other monitoring tools totrack discussions on various topics. Analyze resultsShare information Once the crisis is over, analyze what happened. Evaluate metrics and track user feedback. It isShare critical information with a network of important to evaluate how a social media pres-trusted social media sites, such as other Army ence performs during a crisis so adjustmentscommand sites, government and official non- can be made for the future.governmental sites like the American Red Cross.
Checklists for Establishing an Official Army Social Media Presence PRIOR TO ESTABLISHING AN OFFICIAL SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE, CONSIDER THESE ITEMS Get command approval - See Delegation of Authority memo (Enclosure 2). Study Army social media policy and read Army resources - Before you get started with social media, it is important to understand Army social media policy. Army social media resources can be found at: www.slideshare.net/USArmySocialMedia.SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK Determine your goals - What do you want to achieve/communicate? It could include dis- tributing command information, connecting to a community, building espirit de corps, etc. Determine your audience - Identify the audience you intend to communicate with. This can include Soldiers, Families, Veterans, Army Civilians and the general public. Don’t forget, your audience will also include stakeholders, politicians, community leaders and adversaries or enemies. Research and select social media platforms - Identify the social media platforms that[ 10 ] will best suit the needs of your organization. Not all platforms will work for some orga- nizations, so make sure you understand what can be achieved with each platform. Look at what other organizations are doing to get ideas.THE UNITED STATES ARMY Select your name and branding - Read the Army’s SOP for social media platforms to get detailed naming and branding procedures (www.slideshare.net/USArmySocialMedia/ army-social-media-standard-operating-procedure-standardization). For more informa- tion on branding, visit: www.usarmybrandportal.com or www.army.mil/Create. Draft content strategy - After identifying your audiences, selecting the platforms and approving branding, begin drafting a posting strategy. This helps refine your organiza- tion’s social media goals. For an example of a social media strategy, visit: goo.gl/3Tmw0. Determine site management strategy - Identify social media managers on your team. Make sure contingency plans are in place to allow for other members to fill in on estab- lished duties if necessary. Develop policies and training - The social media team is responsible for developing organization-specific social media policies to include posting and commenting policies. Also make sure to develop training materials to help educate and train individuals in your command about social media and its uses. To view the Army’s social media training resource, visit: www.slideshare.net/USArmySocialMedia.
REQUIREMENTS FOR AN OFFICIAL PUBLIC FACING COMMAND SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE(THIS MEANS A PUBLIC SITE, NOT ONE BEHIND A FIREWALL) Commanding officer or public affairs officer approval - A presence must be approved by the release authority before it can be registered. Delegation of Authority – Approval of External Official Presences (Enclosure 2). The point of contact must include a valid .mil address each time an organization sub- THE UNITED STATES ARMY mits for approval. The presence must have a URL to an official Army website - Your command’s website or the Army.mil if your organization does not have a website. The presence must post disclaimer text - The disclaimer identifies the page as an “of- ficial” Army social media presence and disclaims any endorsement. An example can be found here: on.fb.me/eulvUR. The presence must be clearly identified as “official” - Site must identify that the presence is ―”official”‖ somewhere on the page. An example can be found in the left-hand column [ 11 ] of the Army’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/USArmy. For an example of how to identify an official Twitter, look at the top of the Army’s official Twitter account: www. SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK twitter.com/USArmy. The presence must be unlocked and open to the public - This mostly applies to Twitter, but also means that ―private Facebook groups should not be registered on the Army’s social media directory. All official presences are open to the public. Only official presences on Facebook can be registered and should be labeled as “Organization-Government” - The use of Facebook Profile, Community and Group pages for official purposes violates the government’s terms of service agreement with Facebook. Submit the social media presence for approval and registration to www.army.mil/ socialmedia. Set default view of your Facebook wall to show posts by only your organization. Make sure YouTube channels are set up as a government presence. Step-by-step instruc- tions can be found at: forum.webcontent.gov/?page=TOS_YouTube.
Army Branding Using Army branding Staying Army Strong A brand is not just a logo or an emblem; it is “Army Strong” is a unique brand of strength. an organization’s identity. When using Army Everyone is familiar with the tangible power branding on social media sites, it is important of the U.S. Army: the Apaches, the Humvees, to use the correct colors, tagline and imagery. the weaponry, the pushups. This campaign A brand represents the organization through highlights the true strength of our Army—the distinctive visual elements, which uphold the strength that lies within each and every Soldier. integrity of the brand when used consistently It is harder to see, but it is this strength that and correctly across all communications. makes the U.S. Army the preeminent land pow- er on earth. Thus, maintaining the same consis-SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK tent branding across all Army sites (social media or otherwise) is vitally important. U.S. Army Brand Portal www.usarmybrandportal.com The U.S. Army Brand Portal provides brand elements such as Army logos, camouflage[ 12 ] backgrounds, color palettes, typography and released Army photography. The site also provides guidelines on how toTHE UNITED STATES ARMY use those elements together. By getting brand elements and guidelines from the same place, people can ensure their use of Army branding is consistent with the Army’s own designs. ARMY.MIL CREATE www.army.mil/create Creating a unit specific brand while follow- ing the Army style can seem overwhelm- ing, but the Army.mil Create website can help get you started. There, you will find Designer, Web Developer and Content Editor tips that guide you through creat- ing your own brand. There is even a social media toolkit your team can download.
BloggingWhat is a blog?A blog (also known as a “web log”) is a type ers function as personal online diaries. A typicalof website, usually maintained by an individual blog combines text, images, video and links towith regular entries of commentary, descrip- other blogs, websites, and related media to itstions of events or other material such as video topic. The ability of readers to leave commentsor graphics. Entries are commonly displayed in in an interactive format is an important part ofreverse-chronological order. “Blog” can also many blogs. Most blogs are textual, althoughbe used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add some focus on art (art blog), photographs (pho-content to a blog. Many blogs provide com- toblog), videos (video blog), music (MP3 blog), THE UNITED STATES ARMYmentary or news on a particular subject; oth- audio (podcast) and microblogging (Twitter). Army Live Blog www.army.mil/blog The U.S. Army’s official blog, Army Live, offers Soldiers, Veterans and Families the opportunity to share their experiences with the Army Family on a more personal, informal platform. In addition, it allows [ 13 ] the U.S. Army to share information and news that sparks thoughtful and engag- SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK ing conversations. To submit content for publication on Army Live, send an email to ocpa.osmd@us.army.mil. Be sure to in- clude photographs, graphics and related links to include in the blog post.Army Strong Storieswww.armystrongstories.comArmy Strong Stories is an Army blog andstory-sharing program that provides anonline community for Soldiers, Families,friends and supporters to share theirArmy stories on Army life and military ser-vice. Hundreds of Soldiers and supporterssubmit new video and written stories ev-ery day. Army Strong Stories has two mainfeatures – the Soldier blog and Army sto-ries. The Soldier blog is exclusive to Sol-diers, Cadets, Veterans and Army Civilians,but anyone can share video or writtensubmissions through Army stories.
Social Media Impersonations Social media impersonations Occasionally, social media users claim to be someone they are not. This practice can become a problem when users claim to be Army officials or Soldiers. Some individuals impersonate oth- ers for recognition, while others do it for finan- cial gain. The practice of impersonating Soldiers for financial gain is common. When imposter accounts are identified, it is important to report the accounts to the host platforms. Twitter al-SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK lows for imposter accounts, if they indicate that they are “unofficial” or “fan” accounts. Facebook reporting system Reporting impersonations www.facebook.com/help/?faq=12256 Imposter accounts are violations of terms of use agreements and can be damaging to a Sol- dier’s reputation, as well as the Army. Most so- cial media platforms have a reporting system that allows users to report an individual who is pretending to be someone else. If a high-level Army official, such as a General Officer, is im- personated, contact the Online and Social Me-[ 14 ] dia Division at ocpa.osmd@us.army.mil so the situation can be resolved quickly. Twitter reporting system support.twitter.com/forms/impersonationTHE UNITED STATES ARMY Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta, Medal of Honor Recipient Staff Sergeant Giunta was impersonated on Twitter before being awarded the Medal of Honor. The Online and Social Media Division reached out to Twitter and the imposter ac- count manager to ensure it was identified as a “tribute” or “fan” account.
Case Study: Operational EnvironmentSocial media in combat Connecting from battleThere are multiple opportunities for strategic More and more commanders see the value inonline engagement on several platforms in using social media in combat. Social media cancombat. Many deployed units maintain Face- keep the public informed, it can keep Familiesbook pages, Flickr sites and YouTube channels, connected and it can help address negativefor example. news stories and inaccurate reports. THE UNITED STATES ARMY CJTF-82 www.youtube.com/CJTF82Afghanistan Combined Joint Task Force-82 in Afghani- stan posted this video to their YouTube channel of an air weapons team engag- ing and killing insurgents who were at- tacking a small patrol base in Paktia Prov- ince. While the Taliban claimed Americans had killed innocent civilians, this video al- lowed CJTF-82 to accurately portray the actual event to the media and the [ 15 ] world, thus correcting misinforma- tion while building trust and confi- SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK 21,324 views - 2 years ago dence in the Army as an institution.General Ray Odiernowww.facebook.com/RayOdiernoWhen it comes to using social media tocompliment his outreach strategy, Gen-eral Odierno has been an ambitious andenthusiastic leader. An early advocate,General Odierno maintains a vibrant andinformative Facebook page. During hismultiple tours in Iraq, Facebook was aready source of information and an op-portunity for discussion for his Facebookfollowers and other interested readers.His page provided updates from theater,keeping Family members connected dur-ing deployments. He continues to useFacebook on a regular basis.
Case Study: Garrison Crisis Management Fort Bragg tornado On April 16, 2011, Fort Bragg was affected by severe weather with high winds, caus- ing damage to multiple structures and cutting power to the entire installation. As a result, Fort Bragg was forced to close with the exception of key and essential personnel. It remained closed until power was restored to the installation. With theSOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK power down and the installation closed, it was difficult to get information out to the communities surrounding Fort Bragg. The installation turned to social media to disseminate information and provide updates. Once power was restored, Fort Bragg continued to use social media to document the efforts made to clean up the installation and get it back in working order. The screen captures to the left and below[ 16 ] are examples of messages and photo up- dates Fort Bragg posted to their Facebook page to keep the community up-to-date.THE UNITED STATES ARMY
Case Study: Family ReadinessSocial media and Army FamiliesSocial media is becoming a valuable tool forkeeping Families and Soldiers connected, whichis vitally important to unit well-being. FamilyReadiness Groups (FRGs) are key organizationsthat reap the social media benefits by provid-ing a venue for support, assistance and commu-nity resources. FRG social media sites have be- What are good items to post?come the alternative to running from physical THE UNITED STATES ARMYlocation to physical location to find out what • Pride and support for service, units,is happening at an installation. They also pro- specialties and service membervide discussion sections where the FRG, Soldiers • Generalizations about service or dutyand Families can post information and photosabout installation news and activities. • General status of the location of a unit (“operating in southern Afghanistan” asWhat not to post? opposed to “operating in the village of• Specific unit movement information Hajano Kali in Arghandab district in southern Afghanistan”)• When/if a family is going on vacation or leaving the house vacant • Links to published articles about the unit or service member• Gossip • Any information already in the public• Information concerning MIA/KIA prior to domain [ 17 ] release by DoD SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK4th Brigade, 1st Armored Division FRGwww.facebook.com/4BCT1AD.FRGThe 4th Brigade, 1st Armored DivisionFamily Readiness Group successfully usesFacebook page to inform Family members.It has announcements to keep Families up-to-date on activities of interest. Followersare very active and often post additionalinformation to the posted announce-ments. The interaction on this page, muchlike other FRG pages is dynamic, interest-ing and informative. Newcomers to a unitcan go to the unit’s page to get answersto questions they may have about theirnew unit or location. Connecting onlineoften eases the stress and anxiety or mov-ing to a new unit.
Case Study: Army Leaders and Social Media Leaders in action The previous case studies illustrate how lead- ers around the Army have used social media in garrison and operational environments, but social media use goes much deeper than that. It is about the daily interactions and some of the Army’s highest ranking leaders have tapped into social media platforms to communicate with the population at large.SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK Chief of Staff of the Army General Ray Odierno www.facebook.com/RayOdierno twitter.com/GENRayOdierno Chief of Staff of the Army, General Ray[ 18 ] Odierno is an advocate of social media. He actively uses the platforms to engage with various Army audiences by posting,THE UNITED STATES ARMY commenting, Tweeting and responding to people who visit his sites. Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond F. Chandler www.facebook.com/SMAChandler twitter.com/SMAChandler Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III uses Facebook to distribute new Army guidance and information to Soldiers worldwide. He also uses it to facilitate discussions about Soldier issues like training and uniforms.
Connecting with the public Reaching outMaintaining a social media presence is not lim- Leaders across the Army understand that socialited to simply engaging on your own platforms. media in a new way to connect with variousSome Army leaders have taken it a step further. Army audiences. By reaching out through video,In the example below, when it came to the at- Facebook and blogs, Army leaders are engag-tention of Vice Chief of Staff of the Army Gen- ing a new population of individuals who scoureral Peter Chiarelli that a popular blog was re- social media platforms for news rather than tra-porting that Soldiers were wearing orange vests ditional media outlets. Social media helps bringto identify them as suicidal, he was compelled the news to the user rather than forcing Army THE UNITED STATES ARMYto comment on the blog. By personally com- leaders to wait for the user to come to them.menting on the blog, General Chiarelli changedthe narrative, as did the blogger. [ 19 ] SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK
Facebook Quick Reference Guide DO: • Start with a strategy – How does social media fit into your overall communication goals? • Scatter your posts throughout the day, nights and weekends; do not clump all together • Post on weekends and evenings, and evaluate which time works best • Try to tag at least one other page in each post, when possible or appropriate • Ask an engagement question for every post, when possible • Respond to questions in a timely manner • Post a comment policy and enforce it • Remember to post in a friendlier tone, but not unprofessional • Spell check every post prior to posting; the Army’s reputation is at stakeSOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK • Thank your followers and praise them often • Mix it up: photos, questions, videos, sharing others’ content, news stories, etc • Use lots of quality photos (be sure to add as many details about the photo as possible – or ask your audience to add details as an engagement item; also ask them to tag themselves or others) • Use short, raw, catchy video • Ask yourself: would I share that with my friends? • Add a personal touch; connect with your audience • Set defaults to show only your posts first (after all, this is a command information platform, and this allows your message to be seen first, and allows others to still comment on your wall) • Welcome participation, collaboration and feedback • Get a short, smart vanity URL (facebook.com/username) (available only after 25 followers) • Update top 5 photos often (show a variety of activities, angles, personnel, etc)[ 20 ] • Have someone else read your posts before you post them (to see if they make sense) • Track metrics and evaluate how content performs. Determine what metrics are important to you before you engage, set a benchmark and track over time.THE UNITED STATES ARMY • “Like” sister or similar organizations, and tag them often • Post information or comments on other pages, while using your organization’s page • Always be mindful of OPSEC when posting • Identify/find subject matter experts to answer questions that people ask on your page • Avoid using automated posting services to post same content to multiple sites • Ask your followers what they would like to see on the page • List links to other sites, like Twitter and blogs, on the information tab DON’T: • Post too many times a day (you will lose followers) • Clutter all your posts at one time or seem spammy • Be too promotional • Use boilerplate messages or snoozy press releases, unless necessary • Use social media (teen) language in professional posts (ex: I wanna b ur bff 2day & 4evr) • Use geotagged programs (ex: showing location where you are Tweeting or Facebooking) • Post a link without giving some sort of lead, description or call to action • Remove content just because you don’t like it. If it doesn’t violate your comment policy, leave it! REMEMBER: • You do not control what happens to a message once it is posted. • It only takes one unprofessional slip to taint a reputation. • If you do not have a lot of time to monitor, then set tighter restrictions (photos, videos, comments, etc).
Twitter Quick Reference GuideDO:• Be creative by posting different types of information• Use URL shorteners (Google: http://goo.gl/ or Go.USA.gov: http://Go.USA.gov/)• Use hashtags in every Tweet by searching for established hashtags and creating your own• Tweet links to content (articles, photos, websites)• Tweet breaking news related to your unit• Tweet Army senior leader quotes• Live Tweet events• Create your own hashtags for events; explain and advertise these early and often THE UNITED STATES ARMY• Use Twitter to communicate during a crisis• Follow other Army and DoD Twitter accounts• Check often for new Twitter accounts and acknowledge, follow, share, etc• Retweet content from other accounts while also adding your organization’s words• Engage with your Twitter audience by asking questions and retweeting their answers• Include usernames of other accounts in your Tweets to boost awareness and followership• Listen to what your followers are talking about• Ask yourself “Would I want to retweet this?” before Tweeting• Check your direct messages and mentions daily and respond• Create a voice and personality for your organization• Become the go-to resource for timely news and information• Use direct messages to engage with your organization’s followers• Focus on Tweeting exceptional content• Mix up your Tweet times [ 21 ]• Edit your Tweets and avoid typos• Include a disclaimer (Following does not equal endorsement) SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK• Brand your page• Include a link to official site in biography• List Twitter page on your Facebook page• Use TwitpicsDON’T:• Tweet too many times in a day (you will lose followers)• Clutter all of your Tweets at one time• Follow brands (Pepsi, Coke, etc.) It looks like an endorsement• Follow imposters or those with religious or political affiliation• Obsess about the number of followers you have• Tweet on the hour (everyone does that)• Be too promotional• Tweet with unprofessional Twitter language (“lol” “2 be” “OMG”)• Let your Twitter account become stagnant (go more than a week without Tweeting)• Add location to Tweets• Connect Twitter to Facebook or have automated Tweets with no engagementREMEMBER:• You do not control what happens to a message once it is posted.• Once a Tweet is out there, it is out there.• If you are Tweeting from a mobile device, be sure you do not mix professional and personal on the same device.
Frequently Asked Questions Q: How do I get content on the Army’s social media pages? A: You can email stories, photos or links to unit videos to the Online and Social Media Division at ocpa.osmd@us.army.mil. We will work hard to feature them on our sites. Q: I’ve never been on Facebook (Twitter, YouTube, etc). How do I get started? A: First, know that you’re not alone. Fortunately most social media platforms are relatively easy to use. The best way to get started is to find someone you know who is savvy with social media to show you the ropes. You can also start your own personal social media accounts so that you can familiarize yourself with how they work. The Online and Social Media Division also maintain Social Media resources for Facebook, Twitter and Blogs that are available on SlideShare (www.slideshare.SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK net/USArmySocialMedia). If you have any questions that you can’t find answers to you can always call the Online and Social Media Division or your local public affairs officer. Q: Who can manage my unit’s Facebook page? A: Currently, social media manager is not an Army military occupation specialty, so it is often viewed as an additional duty. Often times, public affairs specialists take the role of social media managers since much of the content loaded to social media sites is news and command information. But it doesn’t necessarily have to work that way. If a Soldier is motivated and the commander approves his/her managing the site, anyone can run a social media site as long as they work closely with the unit’s public affairs shop in accordance with DTM 09-026. Q: What if my unit doesn’t have enough money or people to manage a social media presence?[ 22 ] A: Many social media platforms are free (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, etc), so it is possible to have a social media presence without a budget. Limited manpower does not limit your unit’s ability to maintain a social media presence. Evaluate the platforms and determine which will work best for your manpower situation. It only takes one person to run a Facebook page and a Twitter account.THE UNITED STATES ARMY Q: Can I delete comments on my unit’s Facebook wall? A: Every registered social media presence in the Army is required to have a posting policy that should indicate what can and cannot be posted to a Facebook wall. If users violate these terms on your unit’s wall, you are entitled to delete the comment and block the user if necessary. Keep in mind that Facebook is about facilitating the conversation so stick to your posting policy, but don’t delete comments just because they express negative opinions about your organization. Q: What are the elements of a Tweet? A: A basic Tweet will typically have one of four main elements: a retweet or public reply, another Twitter handle (account name), a hashtag, and a shortened URL or link. Sometimes a Tweet will have all the elements like the example below. Retweet and public reply Hashtag Shortened URL Twitter handle
Q: How can I increase the number of individuals who follow my unit on Facebook and Twitter?A: Be creative. There is no surefire way to increase followers on Facebook and Twitter. Differenttechniques work for different organizations so it is important to think outside the box. Ask your fol-lowers to participate in the conversation, respond to them directly and ask them what they expectout of your social media presence. Look at what other organizations are doing. If they launch a suc-cessful campaign on Facebook, feel free to use their example and tailor it to your unit. Social mediais still evolving so there is a lot of room to be creative. Don’t be afraid to experiment and have fun.Q: What happens if someone is impersonating me or someone in my unit?A: Report the impersonation to the social media platform by clicking on the report button or email- THE UNITED STATES ARMYing the platform directly. If the platform is unresponsive and the impersonation becomes a threatto reputation or personal safety, contact the Online and Social Media Division for assistance.Q: Where should I direct recruiting related questions asked on my unit’s social media profiles?A: Army recruiting resources include goarmy.com, the goarmy.com Facebook page, @goarmy Twit-ter feed, goarmyvideos YouTube channel and ArmyStrongStories.com. The latter is an online com-munity where Soldiers, supporters and families are blogging, sharing stories and answering ques-tions about recruiting, as well as life in the Army.Q: A family member posted something that violates OPSEC. What do I do now?A: If the post is particularly offensive, the first thing you should do is take a screen capture of thepost and delete it. It is also advised to engage that person in a discreet manner and explain thatinformation isn’t appropriate for conversation online. If the person posts again, you have the op- [ 23 ]tion to block them or report them. This should be used as a last resort because it is difficult to undoand only shifts the problem to out of view—the person will more than likely continue to post inap- SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOKpropriate content somewhere else. In either case, you should notify your command so that they areinformed of the OPSEC breach and can take appropriate action.Q: I did some searching and found that this command already has a non-official Family Group onFacebook (Twitter, YouTube, etc). What should I do?A: Many commands have unofficial social media presences established by former Soldiers, Veteransor just fans excited about that command. We do not have the right to remove these presences norwould we want to unless they portrayed themselves as an official presence. In the meantime, workwith the command leadership to determine if you want to approach the page and/or simply moni-tor it and chime in when you have information to add. You may also want to contact the admin-istrator and touch base. These official presences are listed in the U.S. Army Social Media Directorywhich can be found at: www.army.mil/socialmedia. Temporarily, the Social Media Directory lists onlycommand presences, not family readiness groups.Q: I’m transferring my duties as the social media manager. What should I do?A: If you established your social media presences under a general command account, it is as simpleas turning over the login and passwords and teaching the new social media manager how the plat-form works. If you have been using your personal account to relay information, you will need tointroduce the new social media manager on the social platform to the audience. Make sure to givethe new social media manager administrator privileges.Q: Should my organization use collaboration tools like milSuite, milBook and Intellipedia?A: This social media handbook deals specifically with social media sites outside of the firewall. Con-sult your individual organization to determine how it uses these specific collaboration tools.
Official Army Social Media Presences Managed by the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs | Online and Social Media Division defense.gov/socialmedia | Department of Defense Social Media Hub army.mil/blog | ARMY | LIVE - The Official U.S. Army Blog my.army.mil | Your Army Media. How You Like It.SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK army.mil/mobile | U.S. Army Mobile Applications army.mil/features | Army.mil Web Features army.mil/create | Army Web Developer and Designer Creative Resources[ 24 ] army.mil/standto | Daily Compilation of News and Information for Army LeadersTHE UNITED STATES ARMY army.mil/core | Army.mil Web Publishing and Content Management Platform facebook.com/USArmy | The Official U.S. Army Fan Page twitter.com/USArmy | The Official U.S. Army Twitter youtube.com/USArmy | The Official U.S. Army YouTube flickr.com/SoldiersMediaCenter | The Official U.S. Army Flickr vimeo.com/USArmy | The Official U.S. Army Vimeo slideshare.net/USArmySocialMedia | U.S. Army Social Media Resources
Social Media ResourcesThe Department of Defense and the Army have dozens of social media resources available for socialmedia managers, Soldiers and their Families.POLICY RESOURCES Standardizing Official U.S. Army External Official Presences (Enclosure 1) Delegation of Authority – Approval of External Official Presences (Enclosure 2) THE UNITED STATES ARMY DTM 09-026 – Responsible and Effective Use of Internet-based Capabilities (Enclosure 3) AKO Social Media Portal: www.army.mil/suite/page/505262OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA RESOURCES Army Social Media Directory: www.army.mil/socialmedia STRATCOM Social Networking Training: www.stratcom.mil/snstraining [ 25 ] Interagency OPSEC Support Staff: www.ioss.gov SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK Interagency OPSEC Support Staff Social Networking Training: goo.gl/AqmE1 OnGuard Online: www.onguardonline.gov Anti-Phishing Phil: goo.gl/ZFkY3
Social Media Glossary: A – D * This list is for situational awareness and is not all-encompassing. Listing terms does not equate endorsement. A Application Programing Interface (API): A documented interface that allows one software applica- tion to interact with another application. An example of this is the Twitter API. Atom: Web feeds are used by the blogging community to share recent entries’ headlines, full text and attached multimedia files. These providers allow other websites to incorporate the blog’s “syn- dicated” headline or headline-and-short-summary feeds under various usage agreements. Atom also provides a standard way to export an entire blog, or parts of it, for backup or for importing into other blogging systems.SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK Avatar: An image or username that represents a person online within forums and social networks. The image to the right is the Army’s avatar for its social media platforms. Army Live Blog: The Army’s official blog. www.army.mil/blog B Bit.ly: A popular free URL shortening service that provides statistics for the links users share online. Use it to condense long URLs and make them easier to share on social networks like Twitter. Use of bit.ly can be controversial due to rumors of its association with Libya. It is recommended that orga-[ 26 ] nizations use Go.USA.gov or Google URL shortener (http://goo.gl). www.bitly.com Blip.TV: An online video sharing site. It offers both a free and a paid platform for individuals and companies who want to host an online video show. www.blip.tvTHE UNITED STATES ARMY Blog: A word that was created from the two words “Web log”. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. “Blog” can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. Blogger: A free blogging platform owned by Google that allows individuals and compa- nies to host and publish a blog. www.blogger.com Blog Talk Radio: Blog Talk Radio is a free Web application that allows users to host live online radio shows. www.blogtalkradio.com BoardReader: A free search engine that allows users to search for keywords only in posts and titles of online forums. www.boardreader.com Box.net: A website that enables users to organize and view all of their content online in a familiar file and folder structure. Possibilities include sharing content with direct links to files and folders, turning any folder into a public Web page in one click, and creating widgets to share files on a company Web page or blog. www.box.net Boxee: A social video application that enables users to watch online videos on their TVs and com- puters. Users can share and watch videos from a variety of online sources for free. www.boxee.tv
CChat: Any kind of communication over the Internet, but traditionally describes one-to-one commu-nication through a text-based chat client commonly called an instant messaging application.Collective Intelligence: A shared or group intelligence that emerges from the collaboration andcompetition of many individuals and appears in consensus decision-making in social networks.Comment: A response that is often provided as an answer of reaction to a blog post or message THE UNITED STATES ARMYon a social network. Comments are a primary form of two-way communication on the social Web.Compete: A Web-based application that offers users and businesses Web analytics and enablespeople to compare and contrast the statistics for different websites over time. www.compete.comCraigslist: A popular online commerce site in which users sell a variety of goods and services toother users. The reduction of classified advertising in newspapers across the United States has beenattributed to Craigslist. www.craigslist.comCreative Commons: A nonprofit corporation dedicated to making it easier for people to share andbuild upon the work of others, consistent with the rules of copyright. It provides free licenses andother legal tools to mark creative work with the freedom the creator wants it to carry, so others canshare, remix, use commercially, etc. [ 27 ]Crowdsourcing: A combination of the words crowd and outsourcing, it refers to asking a questionvia social media and collecting answers from your various communities and users. The term has be- SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOKcome popular with businesses, authors and journalists as shorthand for the trend of leveraging themass collaboration enabled by Web 2.0 technologies to achieve business goals.DDelicious: A free online bookmarking service that lets users save website addresses pub-licly and privately online so that they can be accessed from any device connected to theInternet and shared with friends. www.delicious.comDigg: A social news website that allows members to submit and vote for articles. Articleswith the most votes appear on the homepage of the site and subsequently are seen bythe largest portion of the site’s membership as well as other visitors. www.digg.comDisqus Comments: A comment system and moderation tool for a website or blog. It enables next-gen community management and social Web integrations to any site on any platform.DocStoc: An online sharing service for documents. Users can view, upload, share and sell docu-ments. www.docstoc.comDropBox: A free service that lets you bring your photos, documents and videos anywhere and sharethem easily. www.dropbox.com
Social Media Glossary: E – I E Eventbrite: A website that provides online event management and ticketing services. Eventbrite is integrated with Facebook, so users can also promote their events there to drive more visits to their event page and sell more tickets. The service is free to use if your event is free; if you sell tickets to your event, there is a small fee per ticket. www.eventbrite.com F Facebook: A social networking website. Users can create a personal profile, add other us- ers as friends, and exchange messages and profile updates. It is the world’s largest socialSOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK network with more than 600 million users (as of January 2011). www.facebook.com Flash Mob: A large group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and pointless act for a brief time, then quickly disperse. The term flash mob is generally applied only to gatherings organized via social media, viral emails or phone. Flickr: A social networking website centered around online picture sharing. The service allows users to store photos online and then share them with others through profiles, groups and other methods. www.flickr.com Follow: A term used to describe how one receives information from social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.[ 28 ] Forum: An online discussion site (also known as a message board). It is the modern equivalent of a traditional bulletin board, and a technological evolution of the dial-up bulletin board system.THE UNITED STATES ARMY Formspring: A question-and-answer-based social website that allows its users to set up a profile page, from which anyone can ask them questions. www.formspring.me Foursquare: A location-based social networking website, software for mobile devices, and also a game. Users “check-in” at venues using a mobile website, text messaging or a device-specific application — they’re then awarded points and sometimes “badges.” www.foursquare.com FriendFeed: A real-time feed aggregator that consolidates the updates from social media and social networking websites, social bookmarking sites, blogs, as well as any other type of RSS/Atom feed. Users can create/share customized feeds of this information, as well as originate new posts/discussions/comments with friends. www.friendfeed.com G Google Buzz: A social networking and messaging tool from Google, designed to inte- grate into the company’s email program, Gmail. Users can share links, photos, videos, sta- tus messages and comments organized in “conversations” and visible in the user’s inbox. Google Documents: A group of Web-based office applications that includes tools for word processing, presentations and spreadsheet analysis. All documents are stored and edited online, and allow multiple people to collaborate on a document in real-time.
Google+: A social networking service operated by Google Inc. The service launched onJune 28, 2011 in an invite-only “field testing” phase. plus.google.comGowalla: A social network in which friends share their locations and connect with othersin close proximity to each other. www.gowalla.comHHashtag: Because Twitter provided no easy way to group Tweets or add extra data, the Twitter com- THE UNITED STATES ARMYmunity came up with their own way: hashtags. A hashtag is similar to other Web tags — it helpsadd Tweets to a category. Hashtags have the ‘hash’ or ‘pound’ symbol (#) preceding the tag, like so:#socialmedia, #marketing, #hashtag.hi5: A social network focused on the youth market. It is a social entertainment destina-tion, with a focus on delivering a fun and entertainment-driven social experience online.www.hi5.comHootSuite: A Web-based Twitter client for individuals and organizations. With HootSuite,you can manage multiple Twitter profiles, pre-schedule Tweets and view metrics, andteams can collaboratively schedule updates to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, WordPressand other social networks via Web, desktop and mobile platforms. www.hootsuite.com [ 29 ]IIceRocket: An Internet search engine which specializes in real-time search. It is generally used for SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOKblog searches but has expanded into searching the popular social networking websites Twitter andMySpace as well as news searches. www.icerocket.comImpressions: An impression gives Facebook administrators a look at how many raw impressions anadministrator initiated post on the Page received, as well as the overall feedback rate. These in-sights are aiming to help Page administrators understand more about the time of day, day of week,and type of content is most effective for delivering information to a fan base.IntenseDebate Comments: A third-party commenting system for blogs. Custom integration withyour blogging administrator panel makes moderation easy. Comment threading, reply-by-email,user accounts and reputations, comment voting, along with Twitter and FriendFeed integrationsenrich reader experience.Insights: Facebook Insights provides Facebook Page owners and Facebook Platform developers withmetrics around their content. By understanding and analyzing trends within user growth and de-mographics, consumption of content, and creation of content, Page owners and Platform develop-ers are better equipped to improve their business with Facebook.Instant Messaging (IM): A form of real-time direct text-based communication between two or morepeople. More advanced instant messaging software clients also allow enhanced modes of commu-nication, such as live voice or video calling.
Social Media Glossary: J – Q J Joomla!: An open source content management system (CMS) which enables users to build websites and online applications. Many aspects, including its ease of use and extensibility, have made Joomla popular. www.joomla.org K Kyte: An online and mobile video application that provides video hosting and stream for both recorded and live video feeds. www.kyte.tvSOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK L Lifecasting: A continual broadcast of events in a person’s life through digital media. Typically, lif- ecasting is transmitted through the Internet and can involve the use of wearable technology. Like: An action that can be made by a Facebook user. Instead of writing a comment for a message or a status update, a Facebook user can click the “Like” button as a quick way to show approval and share the message. Link Building: An aspect of search engine optimization (SEO) in which website owners develop strategies to generate links to their site from other websites in hopes of improving their search engine ranking. Blogging has emerged as a popular method of link building.[ 30 ] LinkedIn: A business-oriented social networking site. LinkedIn had more than 100 million registered users in more than 200 countries. www.linkedin.comTHE UNITED STATES ARMY Livestream: A live streaming video platform that allows users to view and broadcast video content using a camera and a computer through the internet. www.livestream.com Lurker: A person who reads online discussions on a message board, newsgroup, social network or other interactive system, but rarely or never participates in the discussion. M Mashable: Founded in 2005, Mashable is the top source for news in social and digital media, tech- nology and Web culture. With more than 50+ million monthly pageviews, Mashable is the most pro- lific news site reporting breaking Web news, providing analysis of trends, reviewing new websites and services, and offering social media resources and guides. www.mashable.com Mashup: A content mashup contains multiple types of media drawn from pre-existing sources to create a new work. Digital mashups allow individuals or businesses to create new content by com- bining multiple online content sources. MySpace: A social networking website owned by News Corporation. MySpace became the most popular social networking site in the United States in June 2006, but it was over- taken by its primary competitor, Facebook, in April 2008. www.myspace.com
NNews Reader: Enables users to aggregate articles from multiple websites into one place using RSSor Atom feeds. The purpose of these aggregators is to allow for a faster and more efficient con-sumption of information.Newsvine: A social news site similar to Digg in which users submit and vote for stories tobe shared and read by other members of the community. www.newsvine.comO THE UNITED STATES ARMYOrkut: A social networking website that is owned and operated by Google. It is namedafter its creator, Google employee Orkut Büyükkökten. Although Orkut is less popular inthe United States than competitors Facebook and MySpace, it is one of the most visitedwebsites in India and Brazil. www.orkut.comPPandora: A social online radio station that allows users to create stations based on theirfavorite artists and types of music. www.pandora.comPermalink: An address or URL of a particular post within a blog or website.Podcast: A non-streamed webcast; a series of digital media files, either audio or video,that are released episodically and often downloaded through an RSS feed. [ 31 ]Posterous: A blogging and content syndication platform that allows users to post content SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOKfrom any computer or mobile device by sending an email. www.posterous.comPostRank: An aggregator that monitors and collects social engagement data related to contentaround the Web. It helps publishers understand which type of content promotes sharing on thesocial Web. www.postrank.comQQik: An online video streaming service that lets users to stream video live from their mo-bile phones to the Web. www.qik.comQR Code (Quick Response Code): A specific matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code) that is read-able by dedicated QR barcode readers and camera telephones. The code consists of black modulesarranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded may be text, URL,or other data.Quantcast: A media measurement, web analytics service that allows users to view audience statistics(traffic data and demographics) for millions of websites. www.quantcast.comQuora: An online knowledge market. Users ask and answer questions from other users,and read existing questions and answers. www.quora.com
Social Media Glossary: R – U R Real-Time Search: The concept of searching for and finding information online as it is produced. Advancements in search technology coupled with the growing use of social media enable online activities to be queried as they occur, whereas a traditional Web search crawls and indexes Web pages periodically and returns results based on relevance to the search query. Reddit: A social news site similar to Digg and Newsvine. It is built upon a community of users who share and comment on stories. www.reddit.comSOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK RSS (Really Simple Syndication): A family of Web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works — such as blog entries, news headlines, audio and video — in a standard- ized format. An RSS document (which is called a “feed,” “Web feed” or “channel”) in- cludes full or summarized text, plus metadata such as publishing dates and authorship. Web feeds benefit publishers by letting them syndicate content automatically. They benefit readers who want to subscribe to timely updates from favored websites or to aggregate feeds from many sites into one place. RSS feeds can be read using software called an “RSS reader,” “feed reader” or “aggrega- tor,“ which can be Web-based, desktop-based or mobile-device-based. S Scribd: A social publishing site that turns document formats such as PDF, Word and Pow- erPoint into a Web document for viewing and sharing online. www.scribd.com[ 32 ] Second Life: An online virtual world. Users are called “residents” and they interact with each other through avatars. Residents can explore, socialize, participate in individual and group activities, cre- ate and trade virtual property and services with one another, and travel throughout the world.THE UNITED STATES ARMY Seesmic: A social software application site offering Seesmic Desktop, an Adobe Air ap- plication that integrates multiple Twitter accounts and your Facebook account and pages. Seesmic also offers a browser-based client for Twitter, a native Windows desktop client, and clients for mobile phones. www.seesmic.com Sentiment: In the context of social media, sentiment refers to the attitude of user comments related to a brand online. There has been an explosion of free and paid social media monitoring tools that measure sentiment, including TweetMeme, HootSuite and PostRank, to name a few. SlideShare: An online social network for sharing presentations and documents. Users can view files on SlideShare or embed them on other social networks. www.slideshare.com Skype: A free software application that enables users to make video and voice calls, send instant messages and share files with other Skype users. Users can also purchase plans to receive phone calls through their Skype account. www.skype.com Social Media Marketing: A term that describes use of social networks, online communities, blogs, wikis or other online collaborative media for marketing, sales, public relations and customer service. Social Media Monitoring: A process of monitoring and responding to social media mentions related to a business or brand.
Social Mention: A free social media search and analysis platform that aggregates user generatedcontent from across the Web into a single stream of information. www.socialmention.comStreaming: A process of broadcasting media live over the Internet. It involves a camera for the me-dia, an encoder to digitize the content, a media publisher where the streams are made availableto potential end-users, and a content delivery network to distribute and deliver the content. Themedia can then be viewed by end-users live. THE UNITED STATES ARMYStumbleUpon: A free Web browser extension which acts as an intelligent browsing toolfor discovering and sharing websites. www.stumbleupon.comTTag Cloud: A visual depiction of user-generated tags or simply the word content of a site, typicallyused to describe the content of websites.Technorati: A popular blog search engine that also provides categories and authorityrankings for blogs. www.technorati.comTweetDeck: An application that connects users with contacts across Twitter, Facebook,MySpace, LinkedIn and more. www.tweetdeck.com [ 33 ]Tweetup: An organized or impromptu gathering of people that use Twitter. SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOKTwitter: A platform that allows users to share 140-character-long messages publicly. Usercan “follow” each other as a way of subscribing to each others’ messages. Additionally,users can use the @username command to direct a message towards another Twitter user.www.twitter.comTwitter Search: A Twitter-operated search engine that finds Twitter messages and users in real time.Tumblr: A microblogging platform that allows users to post text, photos, videos, links,quotes and audio to their tumblelog, a short-form blog. www.tumblr.comTypePad: A free and paid blogging platform similar to Blogger. It allows users to host and publishtheir own blogs. www.typepad.comUUnconference: A facilitated, participant-driven conference centered on a theme or purpose. Theterm “unconference” has been applied, or self-applied, to a wide range of gatherings that try toavoid aspects of a conventional conference, such as high fees and sponsored presentations.Ustream: The leading live interactive broadcast platform that enables anyone with anInternet connection and a camera to engage their audience in a meaningful, immediateway. Unlike previous webcasting technology, Ustream uses a one-to-many model, whichmeans that the user can broadcast to an audience of unlimited size. www.ustream.tv
Social Media Glossary: V – Z V Video Blog (vlog): A blog the produces regular video content often around the same theme on a daily or weekly basis. An example of a successful video blog is Wine Library TV. Viddler: A popular video sharing site similar to YouTube and Vimeo in which users can upload videos to be hosted online and shared and watched by others. www.viddler.com Vimeo: A popular video sharing service in which users can upload videos to be hosted online and shared and watched by others. Vimeo user videos are often more artistic andSOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK the service does not allow commercial video content. www.vimeo.com Viral Marketing: A term that refers to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives through self- replicating viral processes. W Web 2.0: Commonly associated with Web applications that facilitate interactive information shar- ing, interoperability, user-centered design and collaboration on the Web. A Web 2.0 site (e.g. Face- book) enables its users to interact with each other as contributors to the site’s content, in contrast to websites where users are limited to the passive viewing of information.[ 34 ] Web Analytics: The measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of Internet data for purposes of understanding and optimizing Web usage. Webcast: A media file distributed over the Internet using streaming media technology to distributeTHE UNITED STATES ARMY a single content source to many simultaneous listeners/viewers. A webcast may either be distributed live or on demand. Essentially, webcasting is “broadcasting” over the Internet. Webinar: Short for Web-based seminar, a presentation, live meeting, training or lecture that is transmitted over the Internet. It is typically one-way, from the speaker to the audience with limited audience interaction, such as in a webcast. A webinar can be collaborative and include polling and question & answer sessions to allow full participation between the audience and the presenter. Widget: An element of a graphical user interface that displays an information arrangement change- able by the user, such as a window or text box. Widgets are used on both websites and blogs. Wiki: A website that allows the easy creation and editing of any number of interlinked Web pages via a Web browser, enabling collaboration between users. Wikipedia: A free, Web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 15 million articles (over 3.3 million in English) have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world, and almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site. www.wikipedia.org WordPress: A content management system and contains blog publishing tools that allow users to host and publish blogs. This blog runs on WordPress and uses the Thesis theme. www.wordpress.com
XXing: A social software platform for enabling a small-world network for professionals.The platform offers personal profiles, groups, discussion forums, event coordination andother common social community features. www.xing.comYYammer: A business communication tool that operates as an internal Twitter-like messaging systemfor employees within an organization. It provides real-time communication and reduces the needfor email. www.yammer.com THE UNITED STATES ARMYYelp: A social network and local search website that provides users with a platform toreview, rate and discuss local businesses. Over 31 million people access Yelp each month,putting it in the top 150 U.S. Internet websites. www.yelp.comYouTube: A video-sharing website where users can upload, share and view videos. It is thelargest video sharing site in the world. www.youtube.comZZoho: A suite of online Web applications geared towards business productivity and collaboration.www.zoho.comZooomr: An online photo sharing service similar to Flickr. www.zoomr.com [ 35 ] SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK
Enclosure (1) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE ON STANDARDIZING OFFICIAL U.S. ARMY EXTERNAL OFFICIAL PRESENCES (SOCIAL MEDIA) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS ONLINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA DIVISION 1500 ARMY PENTAGON WASHINGTON DC 20301-1500 01 November 2010SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK SUBJECT: Standardizing official U.S. Army external official presences (social media) 1. References: a. Secretary of the Army Memorandum – Delegation of Authority – Approval of External Official Presences, 21 Oct. 2010 b. Directive Type Memorandum DTM 09-026, Responsible and Effective Use of Internet Based Capabilities, 25 February 2010 c. CIO/G6 Memorandum, Responsible Use of Internet Based Capabilities, 2010 2. The purpose of this memorandum is to standardize Army-wide External Official Presences (EOPs) (aka social media sites).[ 36 ] 3. IAW Delegation of Authority memorandum (referenced above) commands are authorized to establish EOPs. 4. U.S. Army Family Readiness Groups may establish an official presence with the approval ofTHE UNITED STATES ARMY their command. It is possible the unit’s official page also serves the dual purpose as a platform for its Family Readiness Group to disseminate information, however, if the command elects to have separate pages they must adhere to the same standards. 5. All U.S. Army EOPs, to include pages on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, blogs and any other platform must adhere to the following standards: a. must be categorized as a government page b. include the Commander approved names and logos (i.e. 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division [Family Readiness]), not nickname nor mascot (i.e. not the “dragons”) c. branding (official name and logos) across all social media platforms (i.e. Facebook, Twitter) are uniform d. include a statement acknowledging this is the “official [Facebook] page of [enter your unit or organizations name here] [Family Readiness]” e. Facebook pages must default to the “Just [your unit or organization’s]” on the wall (Do this by selecting “edit page,” then “manage permissions.” Drop down under the “wall tabs page” and select “only post by page”). This results in command information being the first and primary thing on the wall, instead of spam and others comments. f. Facebook pages must include “Posting Guidelines” under the “Info Tab.” Use the U.S. Army’s Facebook policy as a reference and/or visit the DoD Social Media user agreement at: http://www.ourmilitary.mil/user_agreement.shtml g. be recent and up-to-date. Post must not be older than one month. h. adhere to Operations Security guidelines. FRSAs/FRG leaders should provide all page administrators and FRG members with the U.S. Army Social Media OPSEC presentation and the FBI Briefing on Identity Theft located on the U.S. Army’s slideshare site at www.slideshare.net/usarmysocialmedia.
SUBJECT: Standardizing official U.S. Army external official presences (social media)01 November 2010 i. should not be used as a place for personal advertisement nor endorsement j. All pages must be registered through the U.S. Army at www.army.mil/socialmedia THE UNITED STATES ARMY6. The Office of the Chief of Public Affairs has the right to deny any page during the approvalprocess if one or more of these guidelines are not followed.7. For step-by-step instructions on how to set up pages, visit:http://socialmedia.defense.gov/learning-and-resources/training/social-media-guides/how-to-guides/ Further information, instruction, techniques, etc. can be found atwww.slideshare.net/usarmysocialmedia8. In order to sign up to receive weekly lessons, TTPs, etc. on how to manage social mediapages, send an email to the email address below.9. Use the platforms’ help option to resolve questions, such as: http://www.facebook.com/help/ Ifquestions are not resolved there, direct all questions and concerns to ocpa.osmd@us.army.mil.10. POC for this memorandum can be reached at ocpa.osmd@us.army.mil [ 37 ] SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK //original signed// JUANITA A. CHANG MAJ, CM Director, Online and Social Media Division, Office of the Chief of Public Affairs 2
Enclosure (2) DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY – APPROVAL OF EXTERNAL OFFICIAL PRESENCESSOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK[ 38 ]THE UNITED STATES ARMY
[ 39 ]THE UNITED STATES ARMY SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK
Enclosure (3) DIRECTIVE-TYPE MEMORANDUM (DTM) 09-026 – RESPONSIBLE AND EFFECTIVE USE OF INTERNET- BASED CAPABILITIES DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE 1010 DEFENSE PENTAGON WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301-1010 February 25, 2010 Change 2, February 22, 2011SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK MEMORANDUM FOR: SEE DISTRIBUTION SUBJECT: Directive-Type Memorandum (DTM) 09-026 - Responsible and Effective Use of Internet-based Capabilities References: See Attachment 1 Purpose. This memorandum establishes DoD policy and assigns responsibilities for responsible and effective use of Internet-based capabilities, including social networking services (SNS). This policy recognizes that Internet-based capabilities are integral to operations across the Department of Defense. This DTM is effective immediately; it will be converted to a new DoD issuance. This DTM shall expire effective 1 March, 2011 January 2012.[ 40 ] Applicability. This DTM applies to:THE UNITED STATES ARMY • OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD Field Activities, and all other organizational entities within the Department of Defense (hereafter referred to collectively as the “DoD Components”). • All authorized users of the Non-Classified Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRNET). Definitions. Unless otherwise stated, these terms and their definitions are for the purpose of this DTM. • Internet-based capabilities. All publicly accessible information capabilities and applications available across the Internet in locations not owned, operated, or controlled by the Department of Defense or the Federal Government. Internet- based capabilities include collaborative tools such as SNS, social media, user- generated content, social software, e-mail, instant messaging, and discussion forums (e.g., YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Google Apps). • external official presences. Official public affairs activities conducted on non- DoD sites on the Internet (e.g., Combatant Commands on Facebook, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Twitter).
DTM 09-026, February 25, 2010 • official public affairs activities. Defined in DoD Instruction (DoDI) 5400.13 (Reference (a)). Policy. It is DoD policy that: THE UNITED STATES ARMY • The NIPRNET shall be configured to provide access to Internet-based capabilities across all DoD Components. • Commanders at all levels and Heads of DoD Components shall continue to defend against malicious activity affecting DoD networks (e.g., distributed denial of service attacks, intrusions) and take immediate and commensurate actions, as required, to safeguard missions (e.g., temporarily limiting access to the Internet to preserve operations security or to address bandwidth constraints). • Commanders at all levels and Heads of DoD Components shall continue to deny access to sites with prohibited content and to prohibit users from engaging in prohibited activity via social media sites (e.g., pornography, gambling, hate-crime related activities). [ 41 ] • All use of Internet-based capabilities shall comply with paragraph 2-301of Chapter SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK 2 of the Joint Ethics Regulation (Reference (b)) and the guidelines set forth in Attachment 2. Responsibilities. See Attachment 3. Releasability. UNLIMITED. This DTM is approved for public release and is availableon theon the Internet from the DoD Issuances Website at http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives.Attachments:Attachments:As statedAs statedChange 1, 09/16/2010Change 2, 02/22/2011 2
Enclosure (3) Cont’d DIRECTIVE-TYPE MEMORANDUM (DTM) 09-026 – RESPONSIBLE AND EFFECTIVE USE OF INTERNET- BASED CAPABILITIES DTM 09-026, February 25, 2010 DISTRIBUTION: SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF UNDER SECRETARIES OF DEFENSESOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK DEPUTY CHIEF MANAGEMENT OFFICER COMMANDERS OF THE COMBATANT COMMANDS ASSISTANT SECRETARIES OF DEFENSE GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DIRECTOR, OPERATIONAL TEST AND EVALUATION DIRECTOR, COST ASSESSMENT AND PROGRAM EVALUATION INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ASSISTANTS TO THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE DIRECTOR, ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR, NET ASSESSMENT DIRECTORS OF THE DEFENSE AGENCIES DIRECTORS OF THE DoD FIELD ACTIVITIES[ 42 ]THE UNITED STATES ARMY Change 2, 02/22/2011 3
DTM 09-026, February 25, 2010 ATTACHMENT 1 REFERENCES THE UNITED STATES ARMY(a) DoD Instruction 5400.13, “Public Affairs (PA) Operations,” October 15, 2008(b) DoD 5500.7-R, “Joint Ethics Regulation,” August 1, 1993(c) DoD Directive 8500.01E, “Information Assurance (IA),” October 24, 2002(d) DoD Instruction 8500.2, “Information Assurance (IA) Implementation,” February 6, 2003(e) DoD Directive 5400.11, “DoD Privacy Program,” May 8, 2007(f) DoD Directive 5230.09, “Clearance of DoD Information for Public Release,” August 22, 2008(g) DoD Manual 5205.02-M, “DoD Operations Security (OPSEC) Program Manual,” November 3, 2008(h) DoD Directive 5015.2, “DoD Records Management Program,” March 6, 2000(i) DoD 5200.1-R, “Information Security Program,” January 14, 1997(j) DoD 5240.1-R, “Procedures Governing the Activities of DoD Intelligence [ 43 ] Components That Affect United States Persons,” December 1, 1982(k) DoD Instruction O-8530.2, “Support to Computer Network Defense (CND),” SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK March 9, 2001(l) Unified Command Plan, “Unified Command Plan 2008 (UCP),” December 17, 2008Change 2, 02/22/2011 4 Attachment 1
Enclosure (3) Cont’d DIRECTIVE-TYPE MEMORANDUM (DTM) 09-026 – RESPONSIBLE AND EFFECTIVE USE OF INTERNET- BASED CAPABILITIES DTM 09-026, February 25, 2010 ATTACHMENT 2 GUIDELINES FOR USE OF INTERNET-BASED CAPABILITIESSOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK 1. GENERAL. This attachment applies to the official and/or authorized use of Internet- based capabilities by DoD personnel and all authorized users of the NIPRNET. Examples include, but are not limited to: a. SNS. b. Image- and video-hosting web services. c. Wikis. d. Personal, corporate, or subject-specific blogs.[ 44 ] e. Data mashups that combine similar types of media and information from multiple sources into a single representation. f. Similar collaborative, information sharing-driven Internet-based capabilitiesTHE UNITED STATES ARMY where users are encouraged to add and/or generate content. 2. OFFICIAL PRESENCES. External official presences shall comply with Reference (a) and clearly identify that the Department of Defense provides their content. In addition, external official presences shall: a. Receive approval from the responsible OSD or DoD Component Head. Approval signifies that the Component Head concurs with the planned use and has assessed risks to be at an acceptable level for using Internet-based capabilities. b. Be registered on the external official presences list, maintained by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs (ASD(PA)), on www.Defense.gov. c. Comply with References (a) and (b) as well as DoD Directive (DoDD) 8500.01E, DoDI 8500.2, DoDD 5400.11, DoDD 5230.09, DoD Manual 5205.02-M, DoDD 5015.2, DoD 5200.1-R, and DoD 5240.1-R (References (c) through (j), respectively). d. Use official DoD and command seals and logos as well as other official command identifying material per ASD(PA) guidance. Change 2, 02/22/2011 5 Attachment 2
DTM 09-026, February 25, 2010 e. Clearly indicate the role and scope of the external official presence. f. Provide links to the organization’s official public website. THE UNITED STATES ARMY g. Be actively monitored and evaluated by DoD Components for compliance withsecurity requirements and for fraudulent or objectionable use (References (d), (g), and(i)).3. OFFICIAL USE. Official uses of Internet-based capabilities unrelated to publicaffairs are permitted. However, because these interactions take place in a public venue,personnel acting in their official capacity shall maintain liaison with public affairs andoperations security staff to ensure organizational awareness. Use of Internet-basedcapabilities for official purposes shall: a. Comply with References (b) through (j). b. Ensure that the information posted is relevant and accurate, and provides no [ 45 ]information not approved for public release, including personally identifiable information(PII) as defined in Reference (e). SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK c. Provide links to official DoD content hosted on DoD-owned, -operated, or-controlled sites where applicable. d. Include a disclaimer when personal opinions are expressed (e.g., “Thisstatement is my own and does not constitute an endorsement by or opinion of theDepartment of Defense”).4. RECORDS MANAGEMENT. Internet-based capabilities used to transact businessare subject to records management policy in accordance with Reference (h). All users ofthese Internet-based capabilities must be aware of the potential record value of theircontent, including content that may originate outside the agency.5. LIMITED AUTHORIZED PERSONAL USE. Paragraph 2-301 of Reference (b)permits limited personal use of Federal Government resources when authorized by theagency designee on a non-interference basis. When accessing Internet-based capabilitiesusing Federal Government resources in an authorized personal or unofficial capacity,individuals shall employ sound operations security (OPSEC) measures in accordancewith Reference (g) and shall not represent the policies or official position of theDepartment of Defense.Change 2, 02/22/2011 6 Attachment 2
Enclosure (3) Cont’d DIRECTIVE-TYPE MEMORANDUM (DTM) 09-026 – RESPONSIBLE AND EFFECTIVE USE OF INTERNET- BASED CAPABILITIES DTM 09-026, February 25, 2010 ATTACHMENT 3 RESPONSIBILITIESSOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK 1. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR NETWORKS AND INFORMATION INTEGRATION/DoD CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER (ASD(NII)/DoD CIO). The ASD(NII)/DoD CIO, in addition to the responsibilities in section 4 of this attachment, shall: a. Establish and maintain policy and procedures regarding Internet-based capabilities use, risk management, and compliance oversight. b. Provide implementation guidance for responsible and effective use of Internet-based capabilities. c. Integrate guidance regarding the proper use of Internet-based capabilities with[ 46 ] information assurance (IA) education, training, and awareness activities. d. Establish mechanisms to monitor emerging Internet-based capabilities in order to identify opportunities for use and assess risks.THE UNITED STATES ARMY e. In coordination with the Heads of the OSD and DoD Components, develop a process for establishing enterprise-wide terms of service agreements for Internet-based capabilities when required. 2. UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR INTELLIGENCE (USD(I)). The USD(I), in addition to the responsibilities in section 4 of this attachment, shall: a. Develop procedures and guidelines to be implemented by the OSD and DoD Components for OPSEC reviews of DoD information shared via Internet-based capabilities. b. Develop and maintain threat estimates on current and emerging Internet-based capabilities. c. Integrate guidance regarding the proper use of Internet-based capabilities into OPSEC education, training, and awareness activities. d. Ensure that all use of Internet-based capabilities that collect user or other information is consistent with DoD 5240.1-R (Reference (j)). Change 2, 02/22/2011 7
DTM 09-026, February 25, 20103. ASD(PA). The ASD(PA), in addition to the responsibilities in section 4 of thisattachment, shall: THE UNITED STATES ARMY a. Maintain a registry of external official presences. b. Provide policy for news, information, photographs, editorial, communityrelations activities, and other materials distributed via external official presences. c. Provide guidance for official identifiers for external official presences.4. HEADS OF THE OSD AND DoD COMPONENTS. The Heads of the OSD and DoDComponents shall, within their respective Components: a. Approve the establishment of external official presences. b. Ensure the implementation, validation, and maintenance of applicable IA [ 47 ]controls, information security procedures, and OPSEC measures. SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK c. Ensure that computer network defense mechanisms that provide adequatesecurity for access to Internet-based capabilities from the NIPRNET are in place,effective, and compliant with DoD Instruction O-8530.2 (Reference (k)). d. Educate, train, and promote awareness for the responsible and effective use ofInternet-based capabilities. e. Monitor and evaluate the use of Internet-based capabilities to ensurecompliance with this DTM. f. Coordinate with USD(I) regarding the use of all Internet-based capabilities thatcollect user or other information, to ensure compliance with Reference (j).5. DoD COMPONENT CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICERS (CIOs). The DoDComponent CIOs shall: a. Advise the ASD(NII)/DoD CIO and ensure that the policies and guidance foruse of Internet-based capabilities issued by ASD(NII)/DoD CIO are implemented withintheir Component. b. In coordination with Component OPSEC and Public Affairs offices, provideadvice, guidance, and other assistance to their respective Component Heads and otherChange 2, 02/22/2011 8
Enclosure (3) Cont’d DIRECTIVE-TYPE MEMORANDUM (DTM) 09-026 – RESPONSIBLE AND EFFECTIVE USE OF INTERNET- BASED CAPABILITIES DTM 09-026, February 25, 2010 Component senior management personnel to ensure that Internet-based capabilities are used responsibly and effectively. c. Assist their respective Component Head to ensure effective implementation ofSOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK computer network defense mechanisms as well as the proper use of Internet-based capabilities through the use of existing IA education, training, and awareness activities. d. Establish risk assessment procedures to evaluate and monitor current and emerging Component Internet-based capabilities in order to identify opportunities for use and assess risks. e. In coordination with the Component Public Affairs Office, assist their respective Component Head in evaluating external official presences’ intended use. 6. COMMANDER, UNITED STATES STRATEGIC COMMAND (CDRUSSTRATCOM). The CDRUSSTRATCOM, in addition to the responsibilities in[ 48 ] section 4 of this attachment, shall: a. In accordance with Unified Command Plan 2008 (Reference (l)), direct the defense and operation of the DoD Global Information Grid (GIG).THE UNITED STATES ARMY b. Assess risks associated with the use of Internet-based capabilities, identify operational vulnerabilities, and work with the ASD(NII)/DoD CIO to mitigate risks to the GIG. Change 2, 02/22/2011 9
[ 49 ] THE UNITED STATES ARMY SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOKNotes
THE UNITED STATES ARMY SOCIAL MEDIA HANDBOOK [ 50 ]
Online and Social Media DivisionOffice of the Chief of Public Affairs1500 Pentagon, Washington, DCOCPA.OSMD@US.ARMY.MIL
Curtis Oakes
Mike Byrnes, President of Byrnes Consulting, LLC
www.byrnesconsulting.com
@byrnesconsultin 10 months ago