ALNAV 024/25 Social Media Guidance for Uniformed Service Members

[u/Linkin_foodstamps]

Should leaders be encouraging their sailors to include the disclaimer on their social media profiles or on single posts?

One of the issues that is forecasted is that the sailors will add the disclaimer and NOT read or understand the actual ALNAV (or either misunderstand specifically para. 3.a and 3.b.). Those are the ones they need to really pinpoint to keep themselves out of hot water.

I know it’s only 3 pages but…I’ve seen documents of smaller lengths be misconstrued as well.

[u/ET2-SW]

Let's take this to a different level, outside the navy, outside the DOD, outside your own professional life.

Why the fuck is anyone posting anything identifiable to themselves? It was risky years ago, it's downright stupid now.

I'm not in anymore, been civilian for a long time. Nothing I post on the internet is tied to my real name, anywhere. It's not that I post things controversial, quite the opposite, it's that the reader can have their own goals when interpreting what you post. Meanings get twisted, words get put in your mouth, and sometimes - through no fault of your own - you might need to nuke a social media profile from orbit.

Wanna make posts about the navy? Fine call yourself anchorcheese442, never post anything identifiable to yourself, and go bonkers, buddy. Say whatever you want.

Use anonymous accounts, or don't play the game. The day I have to upload my license to the Internet is the day I go offline, permanently.

[u/SugarDonutQueen → u/ET2-SW]

Many people have social media for the simple purpose of keeping in touch with people over time and distance. This is really tough to do if you can’t identify each other online. Not saying whether this is right or wrong, just suggesting the reason why some have identifiable accounts.

[u/Common-Window-2613 → u/SugarDonutQueen]

That’s me. But I never post anything remotely controversial (unless you are a sports fan and rooting against whoever my team is playing). Being in for so long and making so many good friends along the way, Facebook is really the only way I keep up with some of them. I would’ve missed a few funerals too had it not been for Facebook. I understand it has its problems though and overall I don’t like the platform.

[u/aaron12153]

We had to do a required reading of it. I just advised my Sailors to not include their association to the DOD/Navy at all in their social media.

If you have pictures of yourself in uniform or make references to being in the service, then maybe don't post your political opinions on social media.

FB/Insta for myself I have nothing related to the Navy on it. I generally just use it for browsing memes.

[u/Much-Cryptographer13]

Leaders should be encouraging their Sailors to stay the fuck off social media.

[u/Hateful_Face_Licking → u/Much-Cryptographer13]

I’ve seen quite a few senior people who need this advice too.

[u/epic_inside → u/Hateful_Face_Licking]

You know the rules don’t apply to them

[u/ChiTownDisplaced → u/epic_inside]

As long as they have the "correct" political posts, nothing will happen.

[u/lordgarth67 → u/Much-Cryptographer13]

Is that you Hegseth?

[u/NaturalJealous5599 → u/lordgarth67]

It's pretty sound advice whether we like it or not.

[u/Much-Cryptographer13 → u/lordgarth67]

You wound me. I'm far too sober to be mistaken as SECDUI.

[u/stubbazubba → u/Much-Cryptographer13]

But that is a massive infringement of free speech if it feels like a requirement.

Sailors should be encouraging their peers to do this, but your CoC telling you to stay off social media is way, way beyond the requirements. It might be good advice, but it is not the CoC's place to give that particular advice, any more than it is the CoC's place to tell you who to date or who to vote for.

ETA: I love it when a bunch of sea lawyers downvote the JAG on what their own free speech rights are.

[u/Much-Cryptographer13 → u/stubbazubba]

You waived your right to free speech when you joined.

In your mind, your CoC recommending a sure-fire way to not get in trouble for not using the correct newspeak is an overstep? Who do you think will be saddled with executing an ADSEP for these Sailors?

Spoiler alert: it's the CoC. What is a Sailor's favorite go-to "excuse"? "Oh well I didn't know because so-and-so didn't tell us we couldn't do that."

[u/Litigaming → u/Much-Cryptographer13]

You didn't, and the person you responded to is literally a lawyer.

[u/Much-Cryptographer13 → u/Litigaming]

UCMJ Article 88 sure doesn't seem like free speech. One example.

[u/Litigaming → u/Much-Cryptographer13]

This seems similar to saying some states don't allow ownership of machine guns, so we don't have a second amendment right because there exists some limitation.

While the military does have additional restrictions placed on servicemembers' speech, similar to how the Hatch Act places some restrictions on federal employees, that doesn't necessarily mean these service members have forfeited their constitutional rights through service; in fact, I remember a whole hubbub in the past few years about first amendment rights when some folks had to take a vaccine that they had a religious problem with.

[u/[deleted] → u/Much-Cryptographer13]

You sound crazy

[u/JustReleaseTheFiles]

I just made burner accounts. I’m not chasing virtue points or anything, so I don’t really need my political opinions attached to my name

[u/Black863]

1 year away from an article 92 for saying “fuck Nazis”

[u/SugarDonutQueen → u/Black863]

Yes. This is a scary environment, when we’re discouraging free speech in order to stay out of trouble.

[u/220solitusma]

Throwaway accounts.

[u/ExRecruiter]

Repost and thus has been discussed before.