"The U.S. Marine Corps has banned Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and other social media sites from its networks, effective immediately." - LANjackal from Bookmarklet

What about FriendFeed? - Carlton Prest

noooo! - Susan Beebe from BuddyFeed

^Exactly. Many of our enlisted men and women are actually really just boys and girls in their teens to mid 20s. I can't imagine how terrible this is gonna be for their morale. Between this, Veterans Hospital health scandals and other issues, I can't help but feel sometimes that we're the only country that asks our fighters to die for us and the kicks 'em in the face when they're done - LANjackal from IM

i guess they'll have to stick with plain old email and IM for contacting their friends and loved ones... don't you wish they had these tools back in the revolutionary war? and the civil war? where's historical tweet when you need it? - Chris Heath

The picture shows a rugged computer built to military specifications ;) but this is a bad idea banning twitter etc. - TrafficBug

In 2003, I connected with a few USMC Officers almost immediately following their deployment. For an entire year, I engaged in daily conversations with them without fail. I was determined to continue the almost vigil until they were brought back safely. They came home. We still maintain our friendships. Did I help them get through each day? Did their ability to stay connected to the US and to those who they care about help in anyway? Ask any soldier and I'm sure you'll receive similar answers. - Michele Lorito-Chase

The policy on net comms has gone back and forth and everything in between for a decade plus now. The DoD seems to have a difficult time figuring it out, which is sadder when one considers the origins of the internet... - Michael W. May

++ MWM - vijay

They'll probably open up their own system within AKO (Army Knowledge Online). Some of the tools that the military is using, like CompanyCommand, are basically the same as the tools used on the general net, but hidden behind the military's firewall. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki... - Andrew Leyden

I've got an AKO account as a retiree. It's good enough for military work, but it leaves what matters, eg, family, friends, that real world connection Michele mentions above, out in the cold. - Michael W. May

Anyone else find it interesting that it is only this military branch that is banning the social media networks? Why not all branches or no branches by DoD directive? - JR

DoD is reviewing it, has been expected to change it (yet again) for a week or so. I was surprised the Corps did it before the DoD as a whole. - Michael W. May

Why would the Marines ban these things? - Jannifer @wordsforliving

security - chaz2b

It isn't necessarily that the USMC considers it's Marines incapable of self-control - it has plenty of experience dealing with that with just a normal telephone conversation. One aspect of why these networks are being banned/controlled is that they are adding on more location aware and metadata collecting services - so the Marine could easily give up their location without even being aware. - bear (aka Mike Taylor)

also, its an avenue to diss superiors, and thats already been an issue (superiors catching it and discipling) - chaz2b

I would be concerned if a Marine had the time to update his or her Facebook status multiple times a day or was tweeting on a regular basis. I understand that staying connected is important for moral and peace of mind, but these are all new forms of instant communication. It's not like phone calls and email are being banned. I'm pretty sure in the movies they show soldiers that had to write letters. Those toke days to arrive! - Heather

ponders if thats a pun, "toke" or if freud would be celibrating a field day, :/ (or just a chronic mispeller like i, :( - chaz2b

FUCK Marines! - k00pa

No, FUCK YOU. Marines protect us. Thanks. - LANjackal from IM

Who protects the Marines? - Andrew Eglinton

The Navy, of course. MARINES = My Ass Rides In Navy Equipment Sir - LANjackal from IM

For a minute there I thought you might have said God. - Andrew Eglinton

Don't other marines protect marines? - Chris Heath

So I wonder why the USMC feels the need to censor when the DoD hasn't finished their decision yet? I would agree for security purposes, however many of our troops rely on social sites like FB to stay in touch with loved ones. Military personel should be trained and well know better than to post info they should not be talking about. If there are troops in our military that don't know what they should not be posting, that sounds to me like some re-training and/or disiplin is in order. Oh and anyone that thinks it fun to bash the military arms here, should try doing so to a enlisted mans face... - JR from iPhone