Members of Air Force warned not to read The Guardian?

[ifthenwouldi]

http://www.wnd.com/2013/06/military-told-not-to-read-obama-scandal-news/


WND has received an unclassified NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) that warns airmen not to look at news stories related to the data-mining scandal.

The notice applies to users of the Air Force NIPRNET (Non-classified Internet Protocol Router Network), which is the only way that many troops stationed overseas and on bases in the U.S. are able to access the Internet.

The last line of the executive summary states:

“Users are not to use AF NIPRNET systems to access the Verizon phone records collection and other related news stories because the action could constitute a Classified Message Incident.”

[ifthenwouldi]

Ooops... Would someone mind to move this to General Politics?

[sailingaway]

seriously warped.

Thou shallt not know what is being done to the homeland? Something like that?

I'll move it.

[ghengis86]

It's just about security clearance bullshit. The published materials were classified above probably most of the Air Force personnel (and other branches) and they're being warned that even reading the classified material in a public publication would be an actionable offense ("classified message incident").

Completely stupid, but, whatevs. SOP

[Occam's Banana]

Thou shallt not know what is being done to the homeland? Something like that?

... to the homeland whose "freedoms" thou art allegedly fighting for, no less. And I can't think of a better way to pique peoples' curiosity about a thing than to tell them not to try finding out anything about it ...

[Carson]

Maybe someone could divert their attention with the truth about Benghazi?

[Carson]

It's just about security clearance bullshit. The published materials were classified above probably most of the Air Force personnel (and other branches) and they're being warned that even reading the classified material in a public publication would be an actionable offense ("classified message incident").

Completely stupid, but, whatevs. SOP

I think that is exactly their point.

[Anti Federalist]

As much as I hate to do this, I'm calling BS.

NOTAMs are not Notices to US Air Force Airmen.

They are Notices to Airmen that fly civilian aircraft, and NOTAMs address safety and routing issues.

A NOTAM would tell you, oh, Runway 29R at so and so airport is closed for maintenance until further notice.

They would not have anything to do with an issue like this.

ETA - I take that back, apparently there is some form of NOTAM within the USAF that very well could have been sent out.


In the U.S. Air Force information technology enterprise, C4 NOTAMs (Command, Control, Communications, and Computer Notices to Airmen) are notices of new or updated Air Force Network Operating Instructions (AFNOIs). Often, these notices serve to direct Air Force computer administrators to install security updates or change the configuration of computer systems

Different purpose, same acronym.

[better-dead-than-fed]

paramount among the responsibilities of a free press is the duty to prevent any part of the government from deceiving the people and sending them off to distant lands to die of foreign fevers and foreign shot and shell.

New York Times Co. v. United States, 403 US 713 - Supreme Court 1971 (http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=17571244799664973711)

[J_White]

how can a news story open to the public be "classified" ? :confused:

[Occam's Banana]

how can a news story open to the public be "classified" ? :confused:

Based on the info AF provided, it appears that they are telling Air Force sysadmins to do something like filter or block content on this issue on Air Force (connected) systems. That way, Airmen or others who use those system won't be able to browse content having to do with this story. Presumably, they could do so on non-Air-Force systems, though. This would address my earlier point, in that they are apparently not telling Airmen directly that they can't seek out info about this matter. They just won't find it if they look for it via Air Force computers.

[69360]

It's just about security clearance bullshit. The published materials were classified above probably most of the Air Force personnel (and other branches) and they're being warned that even reading the classified material in a public publication would be an actionable offense ("classified message incident").

Completely stupid, but, whatevs. SOP

Yes, that's all it is. It's to keep military members from inadvertently losing clearance. Not some nefarious government plot. Well this time anyway.