Troops leaked confidential data on Twitter and Facebook

photo UK MoD

According to cases released under the Freedom of Information Act, the MoD recorded at least 11 instances of restricted and confidential information being leaked by members of the Armed Forces from 2011 to 2013

06 Jul 2014 By Ben Farmer, Defence Correspondent - telegraph.co.uk

Social media blunders by members of the Armed Forces have risked compromising operations and national security by leaking patrol times, details of sensitive visits and photos of restricted areas, records show.

Cases investigated by the Ministry of Defence have included servicemen disclosing details of Britain’s submarines, posting videos of people and equipment in Afghanistan and operations in Libya.

The cases show the military hazards arising from the widespread use of social media networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

The Armed Forces and MoD work under strict rules about using such networks, for fear they are combed by foreign agents and enemies looking for information on the military and operations.

According to cases released under the Freedom of Information Act, the MoD recorded at least 11 instances of restricted and confidential information being leaked by members of the Armed Forces from 2011 to 2013. The scale of the problem is likely to be far higher, because the files do not include civilian MoD cases.

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