Editorial: what’s on your MySpace site?

***image1***Perhaps the trendiest way to communicate and meet new friends is the
popular MySpace Web site, which allows its 47.3 million members to post
free Web pages of themselves to include pictures, blogs, as well as
links to their other MySpace friends.  

Many people have heard about the dangers of sexual predators viewing
young girls’ MySpace sites, but the U.S. Air Force has a different
problem. 
Servicemembers have been posting pictures of themselves in uniform at work and in deployed locations.

Understandably, if servicemembers have a MySpace page, their careers
are a big part of their lives and there is no problem posting pictures
of themselves in uniform or to mention they serve in the
military.  There is a problem when they post pictures that could
be deemed classified.  For example, some servicemembers’ MySpace
pages include pictures of the inside of military aircraft, and blogs
that describe current or impending deployments, aircraft and troop
movements.  Revealing such information could jeopardize the lives
of Airmen and negatively impact mission accomplishment.  

Other servicemembers’ MySpace sites include pictures of uniformed
members conducting themselves in activities that would discredit the
Armed Forces.  Some sites include pictures of uniformed
servicemembers with language that can be construed as racially or
sexually disparaging, which inadvertently discredits the Air Force.
 

Although free speech is every American’s constitutional right, every
Airman who wears a uniform is required to uphold the dignity of the Air
Force.  If you are unsure, just don’t post it.