Soldiers' Blogs Monitored, Group Sues For More Info

http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=197004186

Soldiers' Blogs Monitored, Group Sues For More Info

The suit claims the DOD violated the Freedom of Information Act by failing to expedite EFF's request for information and for withholding agency records.

It is no secret that the military monitors soldiers' Web postings, can remove certain items and will punish those posting content that violates military rules.

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After the Army News Service published a short feature article about the Army Web Risk Assessment Cell (AWRAC), several media outlets followed up with stories about the unit. Then, advocacy groups began to question exactly how the monitoring works, what data is collected and what privacy protections are in place.

Last year, the Electronic Frontier Foundation requested information about the Army's Web site monitoring and asked for an expedited release. Now EFF is suing in a Washington, D.C. U.S. District Court. EFF claims that DOD violated the Freedom of Information Act by failing to expedite EFF's request for information and for withholding agency records.

The group argues soldiers' views are particularly important because of the war in Iraq, and the public has a right to know how military personnel's blogs and Web sites are controlled. It also argues that the need to know is urgent.

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"Some bloggers have told reporters that they have cut back on their posts or shut down their sites altogether because of the activities of the AWRAC," EFF wrote in a prepared statement.