MoD warns forces personnel: Careful what you tweet

The Ministry of Defence has warned forces personnel to be aware of what they’re posting online.

It has released a couple of YouTube videos to illustrate the point that the Internet has ears, and there may be terrorists or enemies listening on the other end.

One video shows a mum getting a Facebook message from her son about a VIP visit to his base, then repeating the message on the social network.

A terrorist type in a balaclava then turns up to have a cup of tea with her, alongside the warning: “It may not just be friends and family reading your status updates. Think before you tweet/blog/tag/upload/share.”

The MoD notes that it “encourage[s] the safe and responsible use of social networking sites”, but for staff to remember to carefully consider what they’re posting, and also to remember that one careless comment or uploaded photo without checking what’s in the background could make for a security slip-up.