Running Head: AIR FORCE SOCIAL MEDIA CODE OF CONDUCT 1

Air Force Social Media Code of Conduct

Jorge Hernandez

23 April 20017

Brandman University
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Abstract

This Media Ethics paper will provide a code of conduct for Air Force personnel while on

social media. In today’s Air Force it is imperative that Airman remain vigilant on and off duty as

well as surfing the web. A mission statement for Social media code of conduct for Active duty

Airman is included as well as a table of contents page. The code of conduct while on social

media is broken up into three segments: On or off duty, Approved on social media, Prohibited on

social media and References.

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Air Force Social Media

Code of Conduct

In the Air Force, it is everyone’s responsibility to be aware of an ever-changing force and

be able to adapt to changes in the military. The importance of the Air Force’s mission and
inherent responsibility to the Nation requires its members to adhere to higher standards than
those expected in civilian life. As Airmen, we are proud of our high standards. Through self-
discipline, we adhere to them, and we hold our fellow Airmen accountable to follow our
standards. This instruction applies to all Air Force uniformed personnel (Active Duty, Air Force
Reserve, and Air National Guard) and provides specific guidance on required standards of
conduct, performance, and discipline. It is in the Air Force best interest to educate our Airman to
meet the requirements and to enhance overall vigilance when on social media. This ethical code
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of conduct while on social media has been developed to ensure that our Airman are following the
highest standards of professional conduct on and off duty. Our Three Core Values are illustrated
below.

Integrity First An Airman is a person of integrity, courage and conviction. They

must be willing to control their impulses and exercise courage,

honesty and accountability in order to do what is right even when

no one is looking.

Service Before Self An Airman’s professional duties take precedence over personal

desires. Every Airman is expected to have the discipline to follow

rules, exhibit self-control and possess respect for the beliefs,

authority and worth of others.

Excellence in all we do An Airman strives for continual improvement in self and service in

order to propel the Air Force further and to achieve greater

accomplishment and performance for themselves and their

community.
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Our Mission and Values

The mission of the United States Air Force is to fly, fight and win in air, space and cyberspace.
Our rich history and our vision guide our Airmen as we pursue our mission with excellence and
integrity to become leaders, innovators and warriors.
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Mission
To educate our Airman on the code of
conduct on and off duty. to make it
clear what is prohibited and what is
approved on social media regardless
of duty status.

Table of Contents

Social Media for Supervisors……………………………………………………………………...7

Social Media for Airman…………………….……………………………………………………8

Social Media for Family Members………………………………………………………………..8

On/Off Duty……………………………………………………………………….........................9

Posting on Social Media…………………………………………………………………………10

Approved Information on Social Media…… ………………………………………...................11

What’s prohibited? ……………………………………………….…………………….…...…...12

Social Media Ethical Code…………………………………………...…………………………..14

References………………………………………………………………………………………..15
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Social Media for Supervisors

Social media and social networking have evolved to become the primary communication

methods used by today’s Airmen, families and leaders. The dynamic nature of social media lets

people interact with diverse audiences in an informal and transparent environment. It’s an avenue

for leaders to help shape conversations about their units and missions and connect with people on

a personal level. Commanders at major commands will use different social media strategies and

social networking tools than wing-level commanders. Base public affairs representatives can

create a tailored approach to balance the needs of senior leaders with the needs of key audiences.

Remember that social media is not intended to push information – it’s for sharing interesting

content and building relationships with online followers. Social media channels help bridge the

information gap for people who know very little about the military in general. When using social

media in an official capacity, it’s important to be honest about who is posting information on

behalf of senior leaders. If you’re using social media to keep in touch with family and friends, it

might not make sense to allow subordinates access to your personal accounts. Air Force

Instruction 1-1, Air Force Standards, outlines how leaders can use social networking sites. All

leaders are reminded to maintain appropriate communication and conduct with enlisted

personnel, peers, superiors and subordinates (to include civilian superiors and subordinates). If

your personal social media accounts are publicly viewable and show your Air Force affiliation,

consider what your photos, videos, posts and comments say about you, your values and beliefs

and the image you portray of the Air Force. Air Force leaders can encourage their Airmen to tell

their unique Air Force stories. They can also work with their local public affairs office to use

social media channels to communicate with their Airmen, stakeholders, news media, families,

local community and the public. (Guide, 2017)

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Social Media for Airman

In general, the Air Force views social media sites positively and respects your rights as

Americans to use them to express yourself. However, by the nature of your profession, you are

always on the record and must represent our core values. Air Force Instruction 1-1, Air Force

Standards, outlines how Airmen should conduct themselves on social networking websites. Here

are a few things to remember when communicating online via social media as an Airman:

 You are personally responsible for what you say and post on social networking

services and any other medium

 Consider how a post can be interpreted by the public. Be cautious about crossing

the line between funny and distasteful. If you have doubts about whether you

should post something, err on the side of caution. If the post in question concerns

the Air Force, discuss the proposed post with your supervisor or your local public

affairs office.

 Maintain appropriate communication and conduct with officer and enlisted

personnel, peers, superiors and subordinates (to include civilian superiors and

subordinates).

Social Media for Family Members

As a family member, you are integral to the success of the Air Force. Without your

support, Airmen wouldn’t be able to accomplish the great work they do every day. You’re

encouraged to use social media to talk about the Air Force and keep in contact with the Airmen

in your life. However, you should use it safely and effectively. It’s important for Airmen and

their families to identify and safeguard critical information about military operations. Be

cautious about sharing personal information or communicating with people over social media.
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Posting too much information could jeopardize the security of Airmen and missions. If you

wouldn’t want to see the information on the news, do not post it on the Web. Social content

shared by Airmen and families is a major target for those looking to gain access to sensitive

information in order to impersonate, blackmail or intimidate. While there is a definite benefit to

using social media, be wary of the details you provide.

On/Off Duty

The Air Force environment, whether at home station or forward deployed, encompasses the

actions, values and standards we live by each and every day, whether on or off duty. From

defined missions to force structure, each of us must understand not only where we fit, but why.

 Our current operations have us more involved with social media than ever before. We are

to act in a manner that exemplifies the military when on social media.

 Airmen must respect and abide by these restrictions to preserve a professional image

when working on government approved social media account on or off duty.

 Acting in a matter of clear Disregard to a professional image particularly on a

Government created social media account will not be tolerated.

 Consequently, members who will not do their best to meet these high standards detract

from the mission and, in compliance with the UCMJ and Air Force instructions, will not

be retained in the Air Force.

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Posting on Social Media

Our customs and courtesies reflect the unique nature of our profession and guide significant

aspects of our behavior. They emphasize our strong bond with 6 AFI1-1 7 AUGUST 2012 other

military members as well as our mutual respect for one another and our civilian leadership.

Social Media Rules (government created accounts)

 No profanity

 Check spelling before posting.

 Always keep your target audience in mind

 Avoid automatic messaging

 Respond to comments in a timely fashion

 Do not speak negatively about the Armed Forces

 Do not hashtag

 Only follow other approved government social media accounts.

 Most importantly think before posting-

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Approved Information on Social Media

Approved Government Accounts-

Social media is an excellent tool to reach a target audience and to connect with people looking to
find out if the Air Force is good for them. Keeping your personal account separate doesn’t just
mean the obvious insurance against accidentally posting to your work account instead of your
personal one. It also means keeping the tone of your messaging on-brand when posting to social
media channels, and making sure all your messaging contributes to the mission you have set for
that particular profile.

Aside from serving different audiences, your personal account and your business account serve
different purposes. This often assumes taking a neutral stance on controversial issues (unless
they are a relevant discussion in your industry); avoiding mitigation of personal conflicts on
business accounts; and, of course, keeping it cordial with social media accounts of other
businesses.

 When on Social media it is approved to use photos and video to tell the Air force story

 Capturing what we do every day in the military as long as it does not violate OPSEC.

 It is perfectly acceptable to talk about the Airforce Mission

 Any subject that relates to the military is acceptable to talk about with the exception of
politics.

 General release of information regarding deployments is authorized

Personal Social Media Accounts

Social Media Accounts are exactly that Personal. Military members have every right as
any other American citizen to do take part of social media as long as it does not violate
applicable rules for the social media account of their choice. Keep Personal Social Media
account personal and do not disclose that you are a military member. (Hermes, 2017)
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Some professionals still manage to avoid social media altogether. But most see that as unrealistic
in many occupations, and are unwilling to be deprived of the advantages social media affords in
terms of connecting to people and collecting information. These boundaries serve people well
offline, and they can perform their function online, too.

Before making any conscious choice of preferred social media strategy, Airman should do a
quick self-diagnosis of their current, most natural online behavior. This not only avoids the
danger of appearing unprofessional to colleagues but also the potential problem of seeming to
speak as a representative of the Air Force. Individuals who adopt an Audience strategy, however,
must be mindful that networks are fluid: people who begin as friends can later become co-
workers, or even bosses – in which case, an Audience strategy can be compromised.

In the event that you choose to disclose that you are a member of the armed forces you now are
subject to act in a matter according to the Air Force Code of Conduct, and its core values and
preserve the Air Force image. (Ollier, 2017)

What’s prohibited?

An active duty service member may generally express his or her own personal views on
public issues or political candidates via social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, or
personal blogs, much the same as they would be permitted to write a letter to the editor of a
newspaper. If a social media site/post identifies the member as on active duty (or if the member
is otherwise reasonably identifiable as an active duty member), then the entry will clearly and
prominently state that the views expressed are those of the individual only and not those of the
Department of Defense. (DoD, 2017)

Besides OPSEC and INFOSEC Member of the military are to adhere to DoDD 1344.10 for
guidance on what is prohibited specifically when involving political activities.
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Prohibited while on social media-

 Make statements to or answer questions from the news media regarding political
issues or regarding government policies or activities unless specifically authorized
to do so by an appropriate supervisor or commander.

 Active duty members should not engage in partisan political activities and should
avoid the inference that their political activities imply or appear to imply DoD
sponsorship, approval, or endorsement.

 Public commentary and endorsement. Any activity that may be reasonably viewed
as directly or indirectly associating with the DoD, or any component or personnel
of the department, with a partisan political activity or is otherwise contrary to the
spirit and intention of this policy guidance will be avoided.

 An active duty member may not post or make direct links to a political party,
partisan political candidate, campaign, group, or cause because such activity is the
equivalent of distributing literature on behalf of those entities or individuals,
which is prohibited by reference

 An active duty member may become a friend of or like the Facebook page, or
follow the Twitter account of a political party or partisan candidate, campaign,
group, or cause. However, active duty members will refrain from engaging in
activities with respect to those entities’ social media accounts that would
constitute political activity.

 Active duty members are subject to additional restrictions based on the Joint
Ethics Regulation, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and service-specific
rules, to include rules governing the use of government resources and
governmental communications systems, such as email and internet usage.
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Social Media Code of Ethics

As a member of the Air Force, you must practice the highest standards of conduct and integrity,
not only in your job, but also in your relationships with other people, in your personal financial
dealings, and in your interaction with the civilian community and when on social media. Your
code of ethics must be such that your behavior and motives do not create even the appearance of
impropriety. Your commitment to integrity will lead the way for others to follow. (1-1, 2017)
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References
1-1, A. (2017, April 23). AFI 1-1. Retrieved from www.af.mil: http://static.e-
publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_cc/publication/afi1-1/afi1-1.pdf
DoD. (2017, April 23). DoD Political Activity Public Affairs Guidance. Retrieved from
www.samhouston.army.mil:
http://www.samhouston.army.mil/asa/Files/SJA/Ethics/POLITICAL%20ACTIVITIES%20
&%20ELECTION%20YEAR%20GUIDANCE/2016%20DoD%20Political%20Activity%20
Public%20Affairs%20Guidance_080828.pdf
Guide, S. M. (2017, April 24). Air Force. Retrieved from www.af.mil:
http://www.af.mil/Portals/1/documents/SocialMediaGuide2013
Hermes, G. (2017, April 17). Public Affairs. (J. Hernandez, Interviewer)
Ollier, A. (2017, April 24). Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from www.hvr.com:
https://hbr.org/2015/03/how-to-separate-the-personal-and-professional-on-social-media