Army lists rules of social media usage for jawans

The Indian Army has sent out an advisory to all its seven commands to warn its personnel as also their spouses, families and dependents to desist from using the social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp.

It decided to rush with the advisory as it was alarmed over rumours and falsehoods peddled in the past two weeks, including two fake letters circulated listing emoluments of the much awaited 7th Central Pay Commission recommendations. One had the complete format of the government gazette, forcing the defence ministry to deny having issued any such letter.

The Army headquarters felt an urgent advisory was necessary as it found too much of wrong information flowing on the Facebook and Twitter accounts of its personnel as also through the WhatsApp messages.

It has also written to the government to take legal action against a ‘dangerous’ message put out on WhatsApp in January listing the phone numbers of the leading TV channels and asking the jawans to share videos and audio recording of any act of corruption or exploitation with the media houses. Army men are not allowed to have any media contact unless authorised in writing.

The advisory also names a particular ex-servicemen’s group spreading rumours on the social media and encouraging family members of the jawans to repeat them. The advisory asks the Commands to make the forces aware of the restrictions on sharing information relating to the army operations, its style of functioning, or false opinions on pay and pension. It recommends immediate disciplinary action against those giving out place of posting of the specific battalion.