Secrecy

An Army of Mum

by Diane Farsetta — May 4, 2007 - 2:59pm

From the U.S. Army's "OPSEC in the Blogosphere" presentation

Main Source: 
Wired News blog "Danger Room," May 2, 2007

Shut Up and Heat

by Sheldon Rampton — May 3, 2007 - 9:08pm

A new media policy restricting U.S. government scientists from speaking to the media is drawing fire from the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Government Accountability Project.

Main Source: 
Government Executive, April 25, 2007

"Mission Accomplished," Four Years Later

by Robin Andersen — May 1, 2007 - 5:40pm
  • Topics: Journalism, International, Propaganda, Secrecy, U.S. Government, War / Peace

    • Today marks the fourth anniversary of the Bush administration's now-infamous photo op when Bush landed in a fighter jet on the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln and declared "mission accomplished" in Iraq. His speech was one of many publicity stunts and media manipulations used to sell a fantasy war whose real and very tragic consequences are still being felt.

    Investigating the First Casualty of War, in Afghanistan and Iraq

    by Diane Farsetta — April 20, 2007 - 1:39pm

    "Within hours of Pat Tillman's death, the Army went into information-lockdown mode, cutting off phone and Internet connections at a base in Afghanistan, posting guards on a wounded platoon mate, and ordering a sergeant to burn Tillman's uniform," reports Scott Lindlaw.

    Main Source: 
    Associated Press, April 20, 2007

    Guantanamo Prisoner and His Parents Gagged

    by Bob Burton — April 4, 2007 - 5:04am

    In a plea bargain, the first Guantanamo Bay prisoner convicted on terrorism charges by the U.S. government's military commission, David Hicks, agreed to a 12 month ban on speaking to the media. After five years at Guantanamo Bay, Hicks will serve a further nine months in a prison in his home state of South Australia. The gag condition -- which would be illegal for a U.S.

    Main Source: 
    Sydney Morning Herald, April 4, 2007

    The FCC and Armstrong Williams' Continuing Legacy

    by Diane Farsetta — March 27, 2007 - 4:55pm
  • Topics: Crisis Management, Pundits, Education, Ethics, Fake TV News, Public Relations, Secrecy, U.S. Government

    • There are many reasons why federal investigations might take some time to conclude. Perhaps the issues are complex. Maybe the parties under investigation are less than forthcoming. The investigating agency may lack the resources needed to resolve the matter in a timely fashion.

    On the other hand, a stalled investigation may be part of a crisis management strategy. When an embarrassing ethical or legal transgression surfaces, launching an investigation sends the message that the matter is being taken seriously. Thanks to a rapid news cycle and a lack of follow-up reporting, public attention shifts elsewhere as the investigation continues. Closing the investigation can be seen as counter-productive, as it once again calls attention to the problem and creates the expectation that the findings will be acted upon.

    Representative John Dingell (D-Mich.) may well have been pondering such matters on March 14, when he pointedly asked Federal Communications Commission Chair Kevin Martin about the status of the agency's ongoing Armstrong Williams investigation.

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