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To access links, see Steven Clift's blog: http://dowire.org/notes/?p=353 Post: Milblogs, U.S. Department of Defense Blocks Social Networking Sites The other month a spent a few intense hours exploring some of the blogs linked to by the Minnesota National Guard. From a blog by a guard solider's wife (from the serious to describing her friend's new boy friend as "ditzy") and the humorous Iceblog - The Journal of a Polar Bear in Iraq to the Coconut Commando and another strongly pro-war solider's blog about having his hands blown off except for two fingers and then having his wife type for him at Walter Reed Medical Center (sorry can't find the link today, the story sure stuck though). This experience gave me more appreciation for what members of our military and their families are sacrificing than all of the media coverage I've seen through the war. The recent 2007 MilBlog Conference included a video address by President Bush, which now contrasts with buzz about requiring milblog (here are a few thousand) posts (e-mail to family as well) to be reviewed by a solider's commanding officer before being published/sent. Now there is news that the Department of Defense is blocking a number of social networking sites including this report from NPR. Perhaps we are importing more than just cheap goods from China? On the other hand, it does make sense for tax-funded networks to be used mostly for work-related purposes but military installations have people off duty living their lives as well. I doubt you want to create an incentive for members of the military to buy independent Internet access that can't be as easily monitored and might pose a greater security risk. Here is some of the military community reaction on BlackFive. *** Democracies Online Newswire - http://DoWire.Org *** To comment/for links: http://dowire.org/notes/?p=353 To network: http://groups.dowire.org Submit posts: http://dowire.org/submit Member profile for Steven Clift: http://groups.dowire.org/main/contacts/stevenclift ----------------------------------------- Group home for Newswire - Steven Clift's blog posts by e-mail: http://groups.dowire.org/main/groups/newswire Replies go to members of Newswire - Steven Clift's blog posts by e-mail with all posts on this topic here: http://groups.dowire.org/r/topic/ For digest version or to leave Newswire - Steven Clift's blog posts by e-mail, email [email protected] with "digest on" or "unsubscribe" in the *subject*. Newswire - Steven Clift's blog posts by e-mail is hosted by Democracies Online - http://dowire.org.
