Connected? - Examining the Threats Posed to SOF Personnel and their Families Through Social Media Exploitation and the Existing Policies in Place to Mitigate Them
Abstract
Members of the United States military, particularly Special Operations Forces (SOF) members are challenged with balancing the growing use of social media with their concern for privacy and security as modern communication and technologies evolve. As technology advances, personal electronics like laptops, smartphones, and now wearable devices have accelerated the ease and frequency at which people interact in an expanding digital world. The mass volume of personal information being generated coupled with readily available public, private, and government collected data poses a growing vulnerability to the privacy and security of SOF personnel and their families. The aggregation of mass data enables nefarious actors (petty or organized criminals, state or non-state actors, or terrorists) the information necessary to perpetrate identity theft, or to harass or target individuals or groups. The heightened visibility and media exposure highlighting the operational successes of the SOF community over the past fifteen years, has increased concerns that too much information is being generated that can be used to target the SOF community or individual service members. This research paper will examine the potential hazards and exploitation vulnerabilities to SOF members unsafe usage of social media.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 06, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1176509
Entities
People
- James H. Hora
Organizations
- Marine Corps University