It's always better to lead than to straggle behind in the case of government public affairs, said a panel of Defense Department officials speaking during an Oct. 4 a webinar presented by Defense Daily.

"Conversations about you or that add value to you--they happen with or without your participation," said Cmdr. Scott McIlnay, director of emerging media integration at the Navy Department's Office of Information (CHINFO). "So you can either be part of it, or you can not be part of it and then deal with the ramifications of whatever has transpired in your absence."

Public engagement through social media is quickly becoming a necessity across the DoD, added Maj. Juanita Chang, director of online and social media at the Army's Office of the Chief of Public Affairs. "People want information immediately, and they want to be able to share it and comment on it," said Chang.

But just because social media use is hip, and agencies can meet the public in the space they're already in, doesn't mean agencies should, panelists said. Content must always drive the delivery method, said the panel, and a social media presence should only be part of a well-developed communications plan. Navy's social media efforts are considered an extension of the official website--a way to repurpose content and increase its web presence, said McIlnay.

"More communication means that there is a greater challenge to being able to communicate from the Navy with one voice," he added. As such, he provides employees using social media at the Navy with platform roadmaps, best practices, how-to guides and manuals. In addition, he sends weekly, internal emails to social-media users across the department.

Making sure official agency sites are registered with the department is also critical, said Chang. She suggested that all official social media accounts be compiled in a public list on the department website, complete with accountholders' names, email addresses and phone numbers. Each of these people should also be trained and qualified, prior to engaging the public on social media platforms.

"We're right now encouraging--but soon it will be enforcing--that all people posting on these channels have received OPSEC Level 2 training, which is going to be an Operational Security Level 2 course; which means that they will all have pretty strict training on what is acceptable to post and what isn't and what could be a risk to soldiers and whatnot," said Chang.

"We do have a lot of people who have access to some sensitive information and it is dangerous, but it does present some unique opportunities," said Chang. "We want to emphasize social media training in all of the security training we do, so that is a bit of a paradigm shift for us."

For more:
- view the archived webinar (reg. req.)

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