Should service members and/or their dependents be held accountable for harassment on social media sites?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 02:14:50 -0400

More so referring to the whole Dependa statements on these social media sites.

Response by SSgt Gregory Guina made Apr 26 at 2014 2:18 AM

SSgt Gregory Guina — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 02:18:54 -0400

Service members can and will be held accountable for what they say and ost on social media.

Response by CW2 Joseph Evans made Apr 26 at 2014 2:24 AM

CW2 Joseph Evans — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 02:24:15 -0400

Are we talking harassment? or being embarrassed for being called out as a narcissistic, self-righteous, opinionated, window-licking oxygen thief of a twat-waffle?

Most of the "harassment" I've seen is largely the result of someone's less than intelligent exposure of their ass. Libel and slander apply to lies said about an individual. If the truth is causing an individual pain, they should probably consider a change in behavior.

There is a reason the "Dependa" stereotype exists... Hide the Twinkies and Ho-Hos.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Apr 26 at 2014 2:36 AM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 02:36:02 -0400

I am an MP, and I can't tell you how frustrating it is and a waste of man power to answer a complaint for Facebook comments. These social media incidents from a legal perspective are sometimes difficult to investigate. A few things to know are whether or not if the sender is sent their "harassing" comments from off or on post and whether or not if the sender is liable under UCMJ. Basically, its a he said, she said sort of thing.

First, the social media comments must be established as harassing and who is going to investigate that? The answer is Military Police Investigations (MPI)if the incidents of going to be reported to the MP desk. I can turn over evidence to MPI from social media but I doubt MPI is going to touch it unless there are comments that suggest there are threats to harm bodily harm. All the so-called victim can do is block the sender but for some reason they don't like to hear that.

If MPI doesn't find any grounds to investigate the complaint maybe be declared as "unfounded". So will the unit get involved if it involves their soldier? They sure can but far as holding the dependent accountable, they don't have any authority to do so and most of us on here no this.

Response by SSG William Sutter made Apr 26 at 2014 3:18 AM

SSG William Sutter — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 03:18:41 -0400

Service Members- yes. Dependents, no. We should however help educate the dependents so they can get there issues solved by the right means. I know the Army has the Army Family Team Building program in which dependents will learn all about the Army.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Jan 7 at 2015 12:32 AM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Wed, 07 Jan 2015 00:32:29 -0500

So no joke there I was on patrol on Fort Bliss, TX, and I heard through dispatch there was a complaint of "Facebook harassment" by spouse to spouse. Maybe those sponsors should be counseled and so then in turn, they can talk to their spouses about making trouble. I did not get to supervise the situation however, my patrol did feed me information by phone. I made sure the complainant knew her so called FB harassment was mutual harassment. In much better words, we tell the complainants to put on their big person pants and be an adult. I feel like out time and services are being abused by people who have complainants about this person or that person from FB. If it's a threat over safety and life, that I can take seriously but stuff like, "You're a whore and you're fat" can be left out of MP control.