Indian Navy tightens social media rules for sailors
All personnel are now responsible for the actions of their families on social media and required to submit details of all their personal smartphones.

The header image of the Indian Navy Facebook page | Source: Facebook.com/IndianNavy

The Indian Navy has introduced new rules to enforce restrictions on the use of social media by its personnel and restrict their smartphone usage, made personnel accountable for the actions of their families on social media, superiors responsible for the presence of all personnel on social media and now require every sailor to submit a certificate of compliance along with details of personal smartphones and other devices.

As first reported by StratPost, the navy had imposed a ban on the use of social media platforms like Facebook by its personnel earlier this year. This ban was administered via orders issued by the navy on January 31, 2020.

Apparently unhappy with the compliance to these orders, the navy has now issued fresh instructions to its personnel, mandating compliance with further requirements.

In a letter dated June 23, the navy said, “It has come to notice that some naval personnel continue to violate orders, regarding ‘Use of Smart Devices and Social Media Platforms by Naval Personnel and their Families’.”

The navy also said in its letter that ‘serving personnel will also be held accountable for inappropriate conduct of their family members’ in case of a breach of these instructions.

Going further, the navy also said that that superiors will be held responsible for breach of these instructions by personnel.

“Continued presence of individuals on banned SMPs/applications will also entail suitable administrative/disciplinary action against Divisional Officers and Divisional Chiefs,” said the letter, requiring that ‘All officers and sailors are to render a certificate/declaration’.

This certificate will require all personnel to acknowledge their awareness of these orders and certify their compliance with them.

Every sailor is further required to certify they are not using social media platforms that are forbidden to them under their own or any other identity, and further provide specific details of their personal devices which they use to access social media and the internet.

Besides the make and model, these details include IMEI Number, Serial Number and MAC ID, as well as, ISP and date of purchase.

Every sailor accepts administrative/disciplinary action if the information submitted is found to be incorrect and every certificate has to be countersigned by the respective commanding officer.

This certificate has to be submitted every three months.

There appears to a lack of clarity on how these instructions are to be implemented.

For example, navy regulations make personnel responsible for not being identified as uniformed personnel on social media, signify ranks or appointments, post pictures in uniform or share pictures of official parties/get-togethers conducted in uniform on common groups.

But there are also videos of weddings featuring naval personnel in uniform posted on YouTube. While these might not necessarily be a breach of the guidelines, there is an evident lack of consistency in compliance with these instructions.

The Indian Army has also imposed a ban on 89 social media, dating, messaging, file sharing and e-commerce apps for its 1.3 million personnel and restricted the use of many others.