Guidelines

Loose lips sink ships
Never post classified or sensitive information (troop movement, force size, weapons details, etc.). In doubt? Talk to your supervisor or security manager FIRST. A harmless photo of an Airman on the flight line could be sensitive if it's a deployed environment and shows bombers in the background. Be smart!

Stay in your lane
If you're an aircraft mechanic, you're well-suited to communicate messages about aircraft maintenance. If you're a civil engineering apprentice, you probably shouldn't be blogging about legal issues.

Protect your privacy
You probably wouldn't share your address and vacation plans with strangers in person, so why would you trust strangers on the Internet? Be careful what personal information you divulge online, and also don't post any information that infringes on others' privacy. Be sure to check your privacy settings often.

Avoid the offensive
Never post any defamatory, libelous, vulgar, obscene, abusive, profane, threatening, hateful or otherwise offensive or illegal material.

No lying
Credibility is critical. Without it, no one will believe or care about what you have to say. There's nothing wrong with not knowing something; it's pretending to know that causes trouble.

No impersonations

Never pretend to be someone or affiliated with something you're not! Be yourself and identify yourself honestly. Replace error with fact, not argument. When a website or blog posts a factual error about the Air Force, you may point out the error and correct the facts. Use a respectful tone, not a disparaging one - even if they don't!

Respect copyright and trademarks
Don't post copyrighted materials - including logos, trademarks, photos, etc. - without permission.

Give Your Opinion
Yes, tell them what YOU think...just make sure you state that it is your opinion and not that of the Air Force or your organization. Be sure to clearly identify what's your opinion and what is fact. Use a disclaimer to clarify that you aren't speaking in an official capacity (i.e., "The views I express here are my own and don't necessarily represent the views of the Air Force").

Always put your best foot forward
The best thing about social media can also be the scariest: Once your post hits the Internet, thousands - sometimes millions - of people can see it and share it in a very short period of time. A good rule of thumb: If you wouldn't say it in front of your mother, you probably shouldn't post it online. You can always ask for guidance from your supervisor or the base public affairs office before posting something questionable.

Ultimately, YOU are the only one responsible for what you chose to post online.

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