State Dept. Considering Pre-Clearance of Employee Tweets and Blog Posts

[The Straight Story]

State Dept. Considering Pre-Clearance of Employee Tweets and Blog Posts

State Department employees could soon be prevented from live Tweeting, as well as posting to blogs or even giving speeches unless they first submit their remarks to the agency for approval.

The restriction is being formulated in new rules by State Department managers, who were upset after Foreign Service officer Peter Van Buren published a tell-all book about the U.S. reconstruction effort in Iraq.

Under the new rules, the State Department would get 48 hours to review Twitter posts and five days to approve a blog entry, speech, or remarks prepared for a live event.

The agency also would require 30 days to examine manuscripts before books go to print.

http://www.allgov.com/news/controversies/state-dept-considering-pre-clearance-of-employee-tweets-and-blog-posts-121210?news=846436

[SoCalDem]

1. Can't really blame them.

"Some people" use very poor judgement when they go online....and if their place of employment is known or high-profile their words matter.

It always amazes me when I see what people post sometimes..

[Recursion]

3. Hm. In their Public Diplomacy service they give a lot of leeway to local FSO's

Though I guess in that case tweeting is their job, so they are presumed to know the "right" stuff to say, and it's not their personal account anyways.

[msongs]

2. employees should not be doing personal tweets/blogs on taxpayer time - period nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. Well, Transparency in Government made a swell campaign slogan...

and gave the bosses a good laugh while slapping Top Secret on everything. Mustn't let the people know what their public servants do while serving.