1. New Media a nd
The Air Force
Air Force Public Affairs Agency
Emerging Technology Division
2. New Media aNd the air Force
ta B L e o F c o N t e N t S
PurPoSe ....................................................................................... 1
New Media aNd PuBLic aFFairS .............................................. 2
New Media BackgrouNd ........................................................... 3
gLoBaL New Media treNdS ...................................................... 5
gLoBaL New Media iNForMatioN FLow ................................. 6
guidaNce ...................................................................................... 7
BLoggiNg ...................................................................................... 8
iNduStry PracticeS .................................................................. 9
guideLiNeS For PoPuLar SiteS ............................................. 10
PoPuLar SociaL Media weBSiteS ......................................... 12
airMeN New Media MetricS ................................................... 13
toP PuBLic BLoggiNg SiteS .................................................... 14
airMeN eNgage with New Media .......................................... 15
toP 10 tiPS For New Media ..................................................... 17
eXaMPLeS iN actioN ................................................................. 18
curreNt ProductS .................................................................. 20
MeaSureMeNt ............................................................................ 22
coNcLuSioN ............................................................................... 23
gLoSSary ....................................................................................... i
Credits
Larry Clavette
Director, Air Force Public Affairs Agency
Capt. David Faggard
Chief, Emerging Technology division
Paul F. Bove
Senior Web Developer and Digital Media Strategist
Joseph S. Fordham
Public Web Policy and Emerging Technology Strategist
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - i
3. PurPoSe aNd iNtroductioN
This guide provides Air Force Public In the past, the Air Force did not
Affairs professionals with basic officially engage blogs or other
new media knowledge needed forms of new media. Now,
to maneuver in the online Air Force leaders realize the
information battlespace broad reach—both positive
and the basic-level tactics and negative—these forms
explained here should of communication have on
be used to compliment the Airmen and society, as well as
traditional forms of Public Affairs, the value of maintaining a presence
to include internal communication, in this information domain. While
community relations and media communication with media and the
relations. public has traditionally been the
responsibility of Public Affairs, today
This is not a comprehensive guide for all Airmen are communicators. The
conducting new media campaigns. It intent of this guide is to educate and
provides exposure to entry-level tools empower the PA Airmen who are the
Airmen may use to communicate trainers for Airmen communication
the Air Force story to broader programs. All Airmen are encouraged
audiences on the Web. As new to use new and social media to
media is always growing, Airmen communicate about topics within
should stay informed through blogs, their areas of expertise, or their
independent learning, wikis and other interests.
participatory Web 2.0 tools such as
those described in this book. Tr a d i t i o n a l , v e r t i c a l
communication is critical
Research shows for the Air Force, but
traditional journalism new technologies
may be shifting and give Airmen
now uses Web as a the opportunity
primary resource to horizontally
for information. inform the media,
Air Force Public the public and
A f f air s mus t each other.
be proactive,
ensuring the truthful If the Air Force does
representation of the not tell its own story,
Air Force is conveyed someone else will.
online.
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 1
4. New Media aNd PuBLic aFFairS
Public Affairs professionals are Together with the joint services, Air
responsible for researching, Force Public Affairs professionals
preparing, conducting and assessing work to collaborate and develop
communication operations in the messages, conversations and
information battlespace and they must
positions to engage online
use all available communications
means to fulfill this
communities. The
dynamic role. joint fight extends to
the Internet, and as
New media allows such, the Air Force’s
messages to potentially strategic position
spread far grater than makes the entire
ini t ially in t e n d e d
Department of Defense
(hence the term, “viral
more accessible and
marketing”), and tools
like blogs, YouTube, transparent for Internet
Twitter and Facebook audiences.
provide instantaneous
communication with vast The Air Force provides
audiences. Understanding a unique skill set
and incorporating these for America that
tools will allow Public compliments the other
Af fairs to provide services and it’s the
a broader range of role of Public Affairs
converged products
offices worldwide to
and become better
educate audiences on
communicators.
the Air Force’s mission
We now fight wars on multiple in air, space and cyberspace.
fronts; one of which is the
information front. Joint Doctrine Note: For the purposes of this book, new
states, “Information is an media, social media, digital media and
emerging media will connote the same
instrument of national power
overarching communication principles based
and has complex components on Web 2.0 (Internet) applications.
with no single center of control.
Information itself is a strategic
resource vital to national security
and allows communicators to
shape the information battlefield.”
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 2
5. New Media BackgrouNd
Web 2.0 is a term first coined by O’Reilly Media in 2004 to describe blogs, wikis, social
networking sites and other Internet-based services that emphasize collaboration and sharing,
rather than less interactive Web publishing (Web 1.0). It is associated with the idea of the
Internet as a platform.
IntroductIon
to new MedIa
New media is constantly changing
and growing. Wikipedia defines
new media as, “The emergence of
digital, computerized, or networked
information and communication
technologies; while social media
defines the various activities
that integrate technology, social
interaction, and the construction
of words, pictures, videos and audio.”
This guide changes the way the Air MaInstreaM MedIa
Force employs social media and CNN and web 2.0
Web 2.0 technology, and positions and
the Air Force well to communicate MSNBC Traditional media outlets leverage
transparently with online audiences. new and social media, taking
actively
PA professionals can help change advantage of the Web 2.0 workspace.
engage The Washington Post alone oversees
the way the Air Force uses these
audiences dozens of internal blogs, many of
quickly developing, and evolving,
trends. Blogging is now considered
through which are moderated by section
mainstream; bloggers often scoop RSS editors who previously wrote
reporters and upload video, images feeds, exclusively for the printed version.
and content. Reporters may mine blogs, News organizations actively engage
blogs for information providing and new their audiences through RSS feeds,
relevance to mainstream Web sites. endeavors blogs and online reporting features
As a result, Airmen bloggers are such as such as iReport.com, a service
quickly becoming Airmen journalists, launched in 2008 that allows users
iReport.
propelling their work from new media to submit their own video footage.
to the front page of the media. CNN regularly uses YouTube videos
and blogs as a primary source of
information to present to viewers
and online visitors.
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 3
6. MaInstreaM MedIa aIr Force and the
new MedIa world
Mainstream media reports a shift
to digital media. “At larger papers, In an effort to manage resources
57 percent of those surveyed say more effectively, the Air Force issued
‘Web technology offers the potential
57% a policy to end its long-standing
for greater-than-ever journalism of those tradition of producing printed
and will be the savior of what we surveyed base newspapers in lieu of online
once thought of as newspaper say web publications. This action provides a
newsrooms’,” said Mark Glaser, technology good start for the Air Force to take
contributing author of MediaShift. offers the advantage of disseminating its news
To see more of his article visit potential via Web 2.0 avenues.
www.pbs.org/mediashift/. for Progress is being made toward
Virginian-Pilot Editor Dennis Finley greater- helping Airmen engage each other
said, “I feel I’m being catapulted than-ever- across the social media spectrum—
into another world…I don’t really real-time with a higher goal of transparently
understand. It’s scary because journalism. reaching out to industry leaders, other
things are happening at the speed agencies and the general public. The
of light. The sheer speed (of change) U.S. Air Force is currently creating an
has outstripped our ability to official, and active, presence in the
understand it all.” Visit the following larger world of social media. With
Web site for more information: the help of Airmen communicators,
ht t p: // w w w.journalism.org / that presence will grow and flourish.
node/11961
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 4
7. gLoBaL New Media treNdS
According to a December 2008 and effective communications
survey from World Internet Usage globally.
Statistics News and Population
Stats, approximately 1.5 billion As a result, there is another task
people currently use the Internet accomplished by teaching new
out of approximately 6.7 billion media to Airmen. The Air Force
globally (www.internetworldstats. needs to turn all of its Airmen,
com/stats.htm). corporate and especially it’s front-line
research Public Affairs specialists, into
The study also states that Internet shows, communicators who combat
use in North America has grown 1.5 negative influence of enemy
129.6 percent since 2000, whereas billion propaganda, misinformation
it jumped to 1,296 percent people and misrepresentation. We are
in the Middle East, and 1,100 use training world-class Airmen to act
percent in Africa, with only a the as our communicators who can
moderate increase in Europe at internet. successfully wage an information
271 percent and 469 percent in media war against our detractors.
Asia, comparatively. Syria has the
highest percentage of Internet
growth usage in the Middle East at
11,466 percent, followed closely
by Iran at 9,100 percent, and
then by Saudi Arabia at 3,090
percent. Even media outlets in
non-democratic parts of the world,
such as Al Jazeera, employ blogs
and other Web 2.0 technology
in order to disseminate news
content. Though there is a mass
movement to new and emerging
media by the mainstream media,
the American public and the
military, these resources continue
to be infiltrated by insurgents and
terrorists using new media tools to
counter our messages, intelligence
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 5
8. Global New Media iNFoRMaTioN Flow
The online conversation is a fluid and dynamic space with many factors shaping media,
messages and products. This chart reflects how new media products are possibly influenced
by multiple factors, both from individuals and mass media. New media allows for the social
interaction between a messenger and receiver. Web 2.0 uses online tools like social networking
sites, blogs, wikis, folksonomy and video-sharing Web sites.
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 6
9. guidaNce
Strong new media policies and the UCMJ. Even if Airmen state they
guidance are necessary to actively are not representing the Air Force,
engage Web 2.0 applications and The Air other audiences may not interpret
Internet audiences. The guidance Force the information that way.
allows Air Force communicators respects
to understand what is and is not the rights Airmen, by the nature of the business,
allowed, thereby setting expectations. of Airmen are always on the record and must
always represent the core values,
Good policies can also help protect to use
people from getting in trouble. even on the Web: integrity first,
blogs as
service before self and excellence
It is up to the Public Affairs
a medium in all that is done.
professionals at each level to teach of self-
and enforce Air Force new media expression.
policy, by training and educating
every Airman on the proper use
and techniques for engaging in
new media. Security is critical and
is at the source. All policies will be
reviewed by Air Force officials to
ensure that legal and ethical problems
are addressed.
Airmen should note that anytime
they engage in social media, they
are representing the Air Force, and
therefore should not do anything
that will discredit themselves or the
Air Force.
In general, the Air Force views
personal Web sites and blogs
positively, and it respects the rights
of Airmen to use them as a medium
of self-expression.
However, Airmen must abide by
certain restrictions to ensure good
order and discipline. All Airmen are
on duty 24-hours a day, 365-days a
year and all actions are subject to
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 7
10. BLoggiNg
guidelines assist Airmen in engaging online conversations.
n No ClAssiFied iNFo Do not www.creative-commons.org for
post classified or sensitive information “Nobody details).
(for example, troop movement, force size,
weapons details, etc.). If in doubt, talk to would blog n tRAdeMARks – doN’t
except for bReACh Do not use any words, logos
your supervisor or security manager. or other marks that would infringe upon
the very
n ReplACe eRRoR with FACt, the trademark, service mark, certification
senior mark, or other intellectual property rights
Not ARguMeNt When you see
misrepresentations made about the Air people. I of the owners of such marks without the
Force in social media, you may certainly wondered permission of such owners.
use your blog, their’s, or someone else’s why not?
n doN’t violAte pRivACy
to point out the error. Always do so with Well, Do not post any information that would
respect and with the facts. When you they had infringe upon the proprietary, privacy or
speak to someone with an adversarial basically personal rights of others.
position, make sure that what you say ordered
is factual and is not disparaging. Avoid n Avoid eNdoRseMeNts
arguments. their Do not use the Air Force name to
people not endorse or promote products, opinions
n AdMit MistAkes Be the first to blog. or causes.
to respond to your own mistakes. If you
make an error, be up front about your I said,
n No iMpeRsoNAtioNs Do not
mistake and correct it quickly. If you choose ‘Well, forge or otherwise manipulate identifiers
to modify an earlier post, make it clear your in your post in an attempt to disguise,
that you have done so (such as by using choice is impersonate or otherwise misrepresent
the strikethrough function). to be fired your identity or affiliation with any other
or get person or entity.
n use youR best judgMeNt
Remember there are always consequences them to n use disClAiMeRs Identify to
to what you write. If you’re still unsure, and blog’.” readers of a personal social media site or
the post is about the Air Force, discuss post that the views you express are yours
your proposed post with your supervisor. Then Lt alone and that they do not necessarily
Ultimately, however, you have sole Gen James reflect the views of the Air Force. Use a
responsibility for what you choose to post to disclaimer such as: “The postings on this
your blog. Cartwright site are my own and don’t necessarily
at US represent Air Force positions, strategies
n Avoid the oFFeNsive Do Strategic or opinions.”
not post any defamatory, libelous, vulgar,
obscene, abusive, profane, threatening, Command
n stAy iN youR lANe Discussing
racially and ethnically hateful, or otherwise issues related to your AFSC or personal
offensive or illegal information or material. experiences is acceptable but do not
discuss areas of expertise for which you
n Avoid CopyRight Do not have no background or knowledge.
post any information or other material
protected by copyright without the n liNk You may provide a link from your
permission of the copyright owner. site to an Air Force Web site.
Also, consider using a Creative Commons
license to protect your own work (see
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 8
11. iNduStry PracticeS
Most new media Web sites have excerPts FroM
their own policies that users must “Youtube GuIdelInes”
Air Force
follow. The Air Force policies
policies n Don’t post pornography.
incorporate and expand upon the
expand
industry practices and both sets n Don’t post videos showing
upon
must be followed. Always consult illegal activities.
industry
your local legal office on terms of
rules. n Don’t upload videos you didn’t
use agreements with civilian sites. make, or use content in your
Following are guidelines from some videos that someone else owns
popular social media Web sites: the copyright to, such as music
tracks, snippets of copyrighted
n Youtube www.youtube.com/t/ programs, or videos made by
community_guidelines
other users, without necessary
n twitter http://twitter.zendesk authorizations.
com/forums/26257/entries
n Don’t post hate speech (which
n Facebook http://www.facebook. attacks, demeans groups based
com/terms.php?ref=pf on race or ethnic origin, religion,
disability, gender, age, veteran
aIr Force bluetube status, and sexual orientation/
PolIcY and Procedures gender identity).
These guidelines set the expectations
for submitting videos to the Air
Force’s YouTube presence, known
as Air Force BlueTube (www.youtube.
com/AFBlueTube).
Air Force BlueTube is the official
and only approved Air Force site on
Youtube for Airmen to share their
stories with other Airmen and the
public through the use of video.
Informative, humorous, exciting or
fun videos are all welcome. Specific
YouTube guidelines should be followed
before sending a video. Some of their
basic common-sense rules follow (you
can read the full details at www.
youtube.com/t/community_guidelines).
Air Force-specific guidelines follow.
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 9
12. guideLiNeS For PoPuLar SiteS
aIr Force bluetube wIkIPedIa
Air Force BlueTube videos Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org)
represent the Air Force. Videos Do not is a resource for conducting
that discredit the Air Force won’t cross research and a community of
be posted. the line people with similar interests
between who help shape and guide what
n It is OK to want to tell the is posted under entries online.
Air Force story, but classified funny and
distasteful. Wikipedia has a strong set of rules
or sensitive information (for for editing entries. Airmen can’t
example, troop movement, post a statement such as, “The
force size, weapons details, Air Force is the biggest, best Air
etc.) will not be posted. Force in the world.” That would
n Be cautious of how something constitute opinion and bias. If there
can be interpreted by the is a reference to back up your
public. If there is any concern information, be sure it’s included.
on how it will be interpreted, Posting entries to Wikipedia
it will not be posted. can be achieved by visiting:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
n Do not cross the line between Wikipedia:About#Contributing_
funny and distasteful. to_Wikipedia
Wikipedia Policy is
Follow the rules:
available at http://
your video will
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
be reviewed and
Wikipedia:About
rejected if it violates
the guidelines and Wikipedia’s Law
the rules of common of Unintende d
sense and decency. Consequence states,
Do not put the Air “If you write in
Force in a situation Wikipedia about
that may result in yourself, your group,
account termination. your company, or
Remember that these your pet idea, once
rules apply to all the article is created,
videos you upload you have no right to
on your own to YouTube. control its content, and no right
to delete it outside our normal
channels.
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 10
13. Content is not deleted just because other GuIdelInes
somebody doesn’t like it. If there is are avaIlable at:
anything publicly available on a topic
that you would not want included www.facebook.com/terms.php
in an article, it will probably find its
way there eventually. Therefore, don’t As indicated in the guidelines,
create promotional or other articles the corporate policies are taken
lightly, especially on subjects you seriously on social media sites.
care about.” Inappropriate posting and copyright
infringement are two of the most
Photo sharInG serious infractions. Ensure posts
don’t endorse one product. Keep
Two popular social photo-sharing in mind, these policies are not written
Web sites, Flickr and Picasa, allow to restrict postings, rather they are
users to post pictures that are written to protect people and help
generally visible and available to keep Airmen out of trouble.
everyone else, because anybody
can view and download these
photos. It is important to abide
by the community guidelines and
be cautious of what you upload.
Guidelines are available at www.
flickr.com/guidelines.gne and
www.google.com/. Always check
the Terms of Use.
socIal networks
Airmen are advised to be careful of
the details, text, photos and video
posted to profiles on MySpace and
Facebook and other social networks.
Employers and adversaries can search
these sites and there are numerous
examples of people losing a job due
to their photos or comments. It is
highly recommended that users set
privacy settings to “private” so that
only your ‘friends’ can see profile
specifics.
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 11
14. PoPuLar SociaL Media weBSiteS
dIGG newsvIne
Digg is a social bookmarking Newsvine is a collection of
Web site that allows people to “The newest news from all over the world,
share and view content from all computer contributed and controlled entirely
over the Web. All material is user can merely by users. The community can post
submitted, and then is voted upon compound, and read material from established
by visitors. The more Diggs (votes) media, such as AP, as well as
at speed, the individual contributors from all
a story receives, the higher up it
goes, ultimately heading to the oldest problem around the world. Anyone can
front page for maximum coverage. in the relations contribute.
Viewers can also bury a story. between
human beings,
technoratI
delIcIous
and in the Technorati is an Internet search
Delicious is a social bookmarking end the engine specific to blogs. In June
service that allows users to tag, communicator 2008, Technorati indexed 113
save, manage and share Web will be million blogs and over 250
pages from a centralized source. million pieces of tagged social
confronted media. Its tools are useful and
Users post links to stories or other
media, write a brief description, with the can be retained as a bookmark
and include tags that help when old problem, and source of research. It’s a
somebody searches for a topic. of what to recommended product when
say and how determining ‘authority’ of a blog
Facebook site for proactive engagement.
to say it.”
A free, social media and Youtube
net working site, allows
commentaries, virtual gifts Edward R. A site where users can upload,
exchanged between friends, and Murrow, view and share videos. Keywords,
photos posted with captioning Journalist tags, drive the search function and
and commentaries. Facebook it is highly recommended the tag
had approximately 133 million fields of all videos be populated
visitors in June 2008, and ranks with useful keywording. YouTube
5th in terms of popularity and had 79 million users and about
usage/traffic. 3 billion viewed videos. The Air
Force presence on YouTube is Air
MYsPace Force BlueTube.
Similar to the Facebook network,
MySpace had 117 million users *Always consult the Terms of Use agreements.
in June 2008. MySpace overall
ranking dropped to 14th.
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 12
15. airMeN New Media MetricS
How does Airmen use of social
ON INFO WARS media affect the public perception
“In this battlefield, of the Air Force? Nearly 70 percent
Airmen of Airmen use YouTube to load
popular perceptions
using their videos and share others,
and rumor are more
YouTube nearly 50 percent use Facebook,
influential than facts
and more powerful and 75 percent of enlisted Airmen
than a hundred tanks.” use MySpace. Fifty percent of
Airmen want the Air Force to take
70% a more active role in social media.
David Kilcullen,
Fundamentals of Public opinion and institutional
Company-Level standing are evaluated daily
Counterinsurgency. Airmen
using through social media postings
Facebook by Airmen. Now the Air Force
is meeting this challenge and
The rapid pace by which Public engaging online discussions by
committing each Airman to act as
Affairs is impacted by new media 50% a communicator to be the voice of
outlets is staggering. Today’s social
media metrics will morph into the Air Force in the blogosphere
something completely new. and in their social media outlets.
The addition of new blogs, to Airmen
the tune of nearly a 185,000 using
per day shows there is no one MySpace
person at the helm of any of
these conversations, and that
public perception is directly 75%
derived by the participants in the
blogosphere. Mainstream media
currently mines the blogosphere
to capture the latest news with
more than 50 percent of current
reporters using blogs to derive
new content.
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 13
16. toP PuBLic BLoggiNg SiteS
toP ten bloGs toP ten MIlbloGs
For a USAF-specific blog, check out: According to For a full list of milblogs, visit: milblogging.com.
www.airforcelive.dodlive.mil or Technorati You can search by a number of criteria.
www.pjcountry.blogspot.com.
1 1
There are 365 and a wakeuP
the huFFInGton Post 112.8 million http://thunder6.typepad.com/
www.huffingtonpost.com blogs and over
2 250 million 2
pieces of a soldIer’s PersPectIve
enGadGet tagged social http://www.soldiersperspective.us
www.engadget.com media online.
3 3
blackFIve-the ParatrooPer oF love
techcrunch There are
175,000+ http://www.blackfive.net/
www.techcrunch.com
4
blogs created
every day. 4
one MarIne’s vIew
GIZModo http://onemarinesview.com/
www.gizmodo.com New blogs are
5
updated
regularly at
5
1.6 million MIchael Yon
boInG boInG http://www.michaelyon-
posts per day,
www.boingboing.net or over 18 online.com/wp/
6 updates per
second. 6
oFFIcIal GooGle bloG aFGhanIstan wIthout a clue
www.googleblog.blogspot.com http://traversa.typepad.com/
62% of
7 reporters said
blogs play a 7
lIFehacker significant FroM MY PosItIon…on the waY!
www.lifehacker.com role in the http://tcoverride.blogspot.com/
8 “tone
of discussion” 8
ars technIca in traditional the MudvIlle GaZette
www.arstechnica.com news http://www.
reporting.
9 mudvillegazette.com/
daIlY kos
www.dailykos.com
52% of 9
reporters say soMe soldIer’s MoM
they use blog
10 search engines
http://somesoldiersmom.
blogspot.com/
bloGGInGstocks like Google
www.bloggingstocks.com Blog Search. 10
wordsMIth at war
http://www.wordsmithatwar.
Source: technorati.com blog-city.com/
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 14
17. airMeN eNgage with New Media
aIr Force socIal MedIa use surveY
MIlItarY data n “90 percent of people in the
n 60 percent of enlisted Airmen Blogosphere don’t care about
said they use MySpace. your message, nor will they
46% of E-2s and ever read it. 9 percent will read
n 21 percent of officers said they 60% of 2nd Lts it, but will not engage you or
use Facebook. use Facebook act on your product/service/
n 71 percent – 96 percent of E-2s stance. 1 percent will read it
through E-6s use YouTube. and actively engage you on the
75% of E-2s
n 51 percent of Airmen surveyed and E-5s subject you’re writing about.”
said they might use Social use MySpace (Metrics expert, K.D. Paine)
with 43% using
Media, “depending on what it several times n Once a YouTube video receives
is offered”, while 40 percent a day, most 50,000 views, it’s moved to the
said “they won’t use it.” likely from front page. (YouTube Guidelines
cell phones or for usage).
n Airmen stationed overseas said home-based
they would use new media computers n Asia has 14 percent of its
n 69 percent of Airmen use population connected (World
YouTube; 48 percent said they Internet Usage Statistics News
49% of Airmen
use MySpace; 15 percent said want more of and Population Stats).
they use Blogger and 8 percent an Air Force n Internet use in the Middle East
social media
said they use Facebook. presence grew 1,176 percent since 2000
IndustrY data (World Internet Usage Statistics
News and Population Stats).
n 55 percent of all adult 62% of
Americans have a high-speed reporters said
internet connection at home blogs play a
significant role
(Pew Research Center, July in the “tone
2008). of discussion”
in traditional
n 30.6 percent of 18–24 year olds news reporting.
and 19.3 percent of Hispanics
are cell phone only users (Pew
52% of
Research, May 2008). reporters say
n 62 percent of all Americans they use blog
search engines
are part of a wireless, mobile like Google
population that participates Blog Search.
in digital activities away from
home or work (Pew Research
Center, March 2008).
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 15
18. IndustrY IMPortance shIFtInG trends
n 75 percent of respondents, n 65 percent of the general
ages 35 – 64, are more likely U.S. population still views
to believe what they see or major network television news
hear about a company or programs as their source of
product if another person information, while 61% view
“like them” mentioned it to Tech/net the local news as their source
them (Edelman’s 2008 Trust influencers of information (University of
Barometer). spend nearly Southern California/Ketchum
10 hours Communications study).
n 78 percent of consumers trust
other consumers “like them” per week n 62 percent of people in the
(Nielsen’s Trust in Advertising). using the web United States say their local
for personal newspaper is a credible
n 66 percent of Internet reasons. source of information (USC/
users under 30 are Social Ketchum Communications
Networkers (Stelter, NY study).
Times).
n 61 percent of Americans rank
n 70 percent of Americans 15 word- of-mouth as a credible
to 34 are actively involved source of information (USC/
with social networks (Mike Ketchum Communications
Spataro in PR Week). study).
n 500,000 – The number of Tech/net influencers are a powerful
people joining MySpace and group defined by three key attributes
Facebook daily. - They have at least 75 friends
- They respond almost every day,
- They spend more than 10 hours
per week using the Internet for
personal reasons.
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 16
19. toP 10 tiPS For New Media
1 7
don’t GIve classIFIed InFo. be aware oF the IMaGe
You Present.
Don’t divulge classified, FOUO or sensitive
materials, photos or video. OPSEC is crucial If using a visual medium, don’t let your
to our mission, think before you speak or message get overshadowed because the
film—if you’re not sure, ask someone! viewer’s attention is drawn to your improperly
A harmless video of an Airman dancing worn uniform or something occurring in the
on the flightline could be sensitive if it’s a background. The image you present will set
deployed environment showing bombers the tone for your message and often mean the
on the flightline. Be smart. Security is at difference of whether or not people listen to
the source. your message. Your tactical representation could
have strategic and international consequences
2 for the Air Force and the nation.
staY In Your lane. 8
If you’re an aircraft mechanic, you’re well use coMMon sense!
suited to communicate messages about
aircraft maintenance. If you’re an aircraft This is the bottom line. If you wouldn’t say
mechanic blogging about legal issues— it in front of your mother, you probably
reconsider your blog. shouldn’t say it on YouTube. Realize that
your words and images will go out to
3 thousands and possibly millions of people
around the world instantly and once it’s
don’t lIe. out there, it’s out there for good. Your
Credibility is critical, without it, no one cares unit public affairs shop should always be
what you have to say…it’s also punishable a source of advice and guidance in this
by the UCMJ to give a false statement. medium. Also, be careful what personal
information you divulge, such as address,
4 phone numbers or any information that
GIve Your oPInIon! could aid identity thieves or the enemy.
Yes, tell them what YOU think…just make
sure you state that this is your opinion and 9
not that of the organization. Also, be sure don’t be aFraId to take
to identify what is your opinion and what calculated rIsks.
is factual. Military life often deals in ambiguity: In order
5 to make the best decision, it’s recommended
to take in as many variables as possible in
alwaYs IdentIFY YourselF. order to make the most accurate decision.
Identification makes your post more
credible. 10
6 the eneMY Is enGaGed.
saFetY. The enemy is engaged in this battlespace
Videos that get widespread attention, or and you must engage there as well.
become “viral,” feature death-defying
stunts or acts that are considered “extreme”
in nature. Don’t let the desire to get
your message across compromise your
consideration for safety.
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 17
20. eXaMPLeS iN actioN
aIr MobIlItY coMMand
Air Mobility Command, Public
Affairs took the initiative to
develop a narrated video,
“Portraits in Courage,” which
was posted to their public Web
site. Collaborating with the public
affairs and new media team, it was
also loaded to CNN’s iReport,
YouTube and other social media
sites, resulting in hundreds of hits
and comments.
Internet
MedIa enGaGeMent
converGence:
naMe oF the GaMe A traditional media’s Internet blog,
targeted towards military readers
A converged product employed by New in Florida, actively blogged about
the Air Force Public Affairs Agency Media has issues of importance to family
was a collaboration of internal given the members and offers a discussion
and external print, photos and Air Force a board for families and active-
new media efforts. It highlighted new voice to duty servicemembers. The blog
an impromptu memorial in the communicate specifically focused on MacDill
Area of Responsibility (AOR) for a effectively AFB and Central Command
fallen Soldier, who was the brother with their Headquarters’ readers. The
of an Air Force U-2 crew chief. command submissions usually don’t appear in
Photos were e-mailed to AFPAA and the print but receive many comments.
and were posted on various Web public they Air Force recommended Public
sites, including CNN’s iReport. serve. Affairs offices and leaders in
The photos and story were then Florida engage the bloggers.
posted to Reddit, LinkedIn,
StumbleUpon, Delicious, Digg suPPorters
and other social media sites, with or detractors
the whole process taking three
hours. In less than a week it had Supporters or detractors of
been viewed hundreds of times. U.S. military members now
The photo was eventually the lead have the ability to speak out in
photo for CNN.com. support of, or against, any issue.
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 18
21. For example, a video showing digital technology to target
deplorable conditions at Fort online audiences in order to
Bragg, originally filmed, edited educate them on the benefits
When
and posted on YouTube April 28, of the Alaskan exercises. Alaska
Hurricane
2008, by Ed Frawley, the father of Command’s Public Affairs Office
Dolly struck
Sgt Jeff Frawley at Fort Bragg, NC, focused efforts to educate the
the Gulf Coast,
social-media environment by
the Air Force
dual-purposing traditional public
leveraged
affairs products while populating
coverage
sites like MySpace, YouTube,
by releasing
iReport, Discovery Channel
photos and
online, Wikipedia, Flickr and
stories to
other communication venues
CNN’s iReport.
on the Internet.
They achieved 287 MySpace visits;
two favorite photos on Flickr from
31 photos posted; and 1,737 views
of 17 videos on YouTube with
6 rated 4 out of 5 stars.
has been viewed 476,000 times as
watch the news
of February, 2009. It urges viewers
to “call Senators, Congressmen With Hurricane Dolly fast-
and the media,” and has received approaching the Gulf Coast, it
video responses from people all seemed inevitable that the Air
over the world, including the U.S., Force would assist with rescue and
Canada, Australia, Germany and evacuation efforts and traditional
South Korea. PA coverage would follow.
It has influenced hundreds of Air Force public affairs leveraged
traditional news stories in print coverage of the Air Force story
and broadcast, and has received through the local media to
direct responses from the Fort create “bounce” from the other
Bragg commander and Secretary reporters’ stories, both internally
of the U.S. Army. It’s received and externally. Once a story and
4.5 of 5 stars on YouTube’s rating photos were released to AF Link
system. it was quickly loaded to CNN’s
iReport, and in two days it was
alaska coMMand viewed hundreds of times. Link
The 2008 Northern Edge to the story: www.ireport.com/
exercise used new media and docs/DOC-48720.
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 19
22. curreNt ProductS
The Air Force currently engages in with the wikis on the CoP and
basic Web 2.0 and is researching share your knowledge. Also, since
ways to leverage more of what On Wiki the Air Force does not own its
is available. When thinking Wikipedia entry, anyone can make
about using digital technology, “We fully changes to the page. If you see
remember that the primary goal understand something incorrect, let your PAO
of social media is to engage in all of the know about it so they can make
conversations with others. The information the changes.
secondary goal is to use a new may not be
100 percent Photo sharInG sItes
voice to tell the Air Force story correct all
and share it with the public, and of the time
other Airmen. Below is a broad Flickr and Picasa are photo-sharing
and it may Web 2.0 tools that the Air Force
list of products the Air Force uses. not initially
provide us
is using to tell its story by sharing
aIr Force lInk with perfect imagery. Airmen and the public can
solutions. view Air Force photos through tags
Air Force Link is the primary That’s OK. that are placed on each picture.
public Web site of the Air Force. Military
The site offers news stories, commanders vIdeo sharInG sItes
photos, video, Podcasts, shared are used to
dealing with The Air Force has a presence on
technology and RSS feeds. These
ambiguity….if YouTube, called AirForceBlueTube
features are the most basic of Web
we wait for (http://www.youtube.com/
2.0 offerings. They allow for a perfect afbluetube). Air Force BlueTube
simple multimedia experience. information focuses on everything Air Force.
All news stories and photographs that plods It is a place for Airmen to share
have the ability to be linked on through the
their videos and stories ranging
hundreds of other online social old Napoleonic
from funny, to poignant, and
media sites using the “share“ tab. structure, we
risk being everything in between. Become
wIkI technoloGY irrelevant in part of the video conversation by
today’s world.” creating and submitting videos
Most pages on the Air Force to AirForceBlueTube. Family and
Communities of Practice (CoP) General
friends are welcome to submit as
employ a wiki. The wiki allows you Robert Kehler, well. Public affairs recommends
to collaborate with other Airmen Commander, submitting all videos to Air
and share your wisdom with them. US Air Force Force BlueTube and not creating
There is also an Air Force entry in Space additional unit-level YouTube
Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/ Command channels.
wiki/US_Air_Force). Get involved
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 20
23. socIal networkInG also via the “share” button on
af.mil. Create a base PA Profile
The Air Force has created on the sites listed above and
profiles in Facebook for media share information with your
engagement and a platform for colleagues at your local base.
testing, called Hap Arnold: (http:// Make a simple username and
www.facebook.com/profile. password so anyone from your
php?id=1409442190). This is a unit can post and share a story
place to share information and of interest.
interact with Airmen from all
over the world. Consider creating recoMMendatIons
a Facebook page for your local For Future research
wing or base to collaborate
with your colleagues. Invite Moblogging allows a user to
unit members to join. Use the create a blog entry from mobile
Air Force Facebook page as a phones and post on the Web.
And in Microblogging allows short text
template. Follow the reference
in the approved Air Force the end the updates to be published and
Instruction. communicator sent to friends immediately. The
will be most popular service is Twitter
Podcasts & vodcasts confronted (www.twitter.com). Social
with the
networking Websites Facebook,
There are currently five Podcasts MySpace and LinkedIn use
or vodcasts (video Podcasts) being old problem
micro-blogging with their “status
produced by the Air Force. Pod- and of what update” features.
vodcasts are a great way to tell to say
a story using voice and/or video. and how Products to Focus on
Visit www.af.mil/newmedia.asp to say it.
for a list of available Podcasts Engage Blog gers. These
and instructions on subscribing applications are shaping the
to them. Turn local interviews or way people across the world
stories into There is simple plug communicate, influence
and play software that is available traditional media thus reaching
for creating a Podcast, and it costs a larger audience allowing the
nothing to upload. Consider sites Air Force message to be told with
like www.blogtalkradio.com to start less resources, thus saving the
an Internet radio station for free. taxpayers money and PA office
time. To engage others, focus
socIal bookMarkInG on top-ranked blogs, YouTube,
Facebook, MySpace, Flickr
The Air Force is proactively and Picasa.
bookmarking news stories
on Digg, Delicious, Reddit,
Newsvine, and other sites, and Always consult terms of use with JAG.
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 21
24. MeaSureMeNt
Measurement and evaluation are effectiveness of a communication
part of all Air Force communication program. Simple analytics like
campaigns. Counting is easy, counting hits, viewers and positive
yet measuring the success of Any and all and negative comments are easy
communication efforts is not. communication ways to show how new media
Effective measurement drives programs can help define your story and
evaluation and resources; potential can and will help your leadership see the
steps to measuring campaigns should be value of what, and how, you’re
are to: measured and communicating.
n Perform a communication evaluated.
Resources on measurement
audit across all products to include Icerocket, Technorati,
understand the perception of Google analytics, Blogpulse, and
the information consumer and CustomScoop.
identify inconsistencies;
n D e f in e m e a s u r e m e n t ask: How much coverage was
benchmarks through detailed generated and how much of that
and achievable qualitative and was in non-traditional formats?
quantitative metrics; Did the right target markets get
the message? Were command
n Communicate the economic messages in the product? Did
impact to leadership; and third-party spokespeople carry
n Study the success of past those messages to other venues?
measurement programs. How many bloggers quoted your
article? Were they considered
Any and all communication useful? How many visitors read
programs can and should be your blog? Learn more about
measured or evaluated: new media measurement at: http://www.
is no different. The impact of target thenewpr.com/wiki/pmwiki.
markets, advocacy movements and php/Main/HomePage?pagename
stakeholder engagement should =PRMeasurement.HomePage.
be tracked and followed up on
to ensure adequate resources
are being allocated per project.
Determining the effect/effects to be
achieved and how to measure the
success of achieving those effects
should be planned well before
execution; thus, the success of the
plan and measurement will shape
future engagements, planning and
budgeting. There is no one-size-
fits-all approach to measuring
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 22
25. coNcLuSioN
This guide does not advocate the voice of the organization, PA
a major shift in resources from has the responsibility to tell the Air
traditional media to new media. Force story in a thoughtful, engaging
Rather it endorses the belief that and exciting manner—by taking
digital communication provides a advantage of the same popular
new toolset that commanders can Web 2.0 tools and services used
use to achieve military objectives. There is a by corporate and industry leaders.
Results from the University of paradigm shift The Air Force Public Affairs Agency
Southern California and public taking place now will assist in many ways. First, this
relations company Ketchum with more book gives you a brief overview of
indicate major network and local communication how to navigate through some of the
network news programs, and local becoming a Web 2.0 offerings, a list of Web 2.0
newspapers, are still ranked very high two-way street products and services (and where
as a credible source of information. instead of a to find them on the Internet), and a
However, in the report, Ben Smith, message pushing glossary of social media and Web
a blogger with Politico newspaper, process. 2.0 terminology. Second, guidance
“I only have a fraction of blog readers outlines how to communicate in this
than print-readers; however, I know space and how new media can assist
my readers are reading my story, the Air Force in leveraging Web 2.0 in
not skimming to the sports section.” order to tell the Air Force story. Lastly,
And Teri Daley, senior vice president education is planned for individuals
with Ketchum’s Wireless Technology across the communication spectrum,
division, notes there’s a paradigm starting at the formal level in the
shift taking place now with more and Defense Information School, for
more communication becoming a those beginning their career in PA,
two-way street instead of a message- and ongoing and continuing formal
pushing process. education in the form of Webinars
and teleconferences available to
There are movements within DoD to Public Affairs offices.
explore a broader, more aggressive
and holistic approach that must be
developed and employed in order to
integrate communicators. The rules
of the game have clearly changed.
Until now, the Air Force has not
had an official stance on engaging
bloggers, social media and Web 2.0
initiatives. However, by being a part
of this trend, PA is embarking into
a new world of communication for
the Air Force. Because Airmen are
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - 23
26. gLoSSary
advocacy avatarS bloggers. Items — called
Creating a movement of Graphical images representing posts—may have keyword
net-fluencers to influence people within the new media tags associated with them, are
conversation, actions or motives arena. You can build a visual usually available as feeds and
in support of one’s objective. character with the body, often allow commenting.
clothes, behaviors, gender
aggregatioN and name of your choice. BLogoSPhere
Gathering and remixing content This may or may not be an A term used to describe the
from blogs and other Web sites authentic representation of totality of blogs on the Internet,
that provide RSS feeds; typically yourself. (View Secondlife.com and the conversations taking
displayed in an aggregator like for more information.) place within that sphere.
Bloglines or Google Reader,
or directly on your desktop avi — (audio video BLogroLL
using software (often also called iNterLeaved) A list of sites displayed in the
a newsreader). Beneficial for A Microsoft Corporation sidebar of a blog, showing who
breaking news. CNN and multimedia video format. It the blogger reads regularly.
OASD/PA have effective tools uses waveform audio and
like these. digital video frames (bitmaps) BookMarkiNg
to compress animation. Saving the address of a Web
aLertS site or item of content, either
Search engines, like Google, Back chaNNeL in your browser, or on a social
allow you to specify words, coMMuNicatioNS bookmarking site like Delicious.
phrases or tags that you want Are private e-mails or other If you add tags, others can easily
checked periodically, with messages sent by the facilitator find your research too, and
results of those searches or between individuals during the social bookmarking site
returned to you by e-mail. public conferencing. They can becomes an enormous public
have a significant effect on the library.
archive way that public conversations go.
May refer to topics from an BrowSer
online discussion that has BaNdwidth The tool used to view Web
been closed but saved for later The capacity of an electronic sites, and access all the content
reference. On blogs, archives line, such as a communications available there onscreen or by
are collections of earlier items network or computer channel, downloading. (e.g., Microsoft
usually organized by week or to transmit bits per second (bps). Explorer, Firefox and Chrome.)
month. You may still be able to
comment on archived items. BLog coNtroL BuLLetiN BoardS
Social networking is difficult to The early vehicles for online
autheNticity control because if people can’t collaboration, where users
The sense that something or say something in one place connected with a central
someone is “real.” Blogs enable they can blog or comment computer to post and read
people to publish content, and elsewhere. That can be email-like messages.
engage in conversations, that challenging for hierarchical
show their interests and values, organizations used to centrally categorieS
and so help them develop an managed Web sites. Pre-specified ways to organize
authentic voice online. Airmen content—for example, a set
should always be transparent BLogS of keywords that you can use
and authentic while online. Web sites with dated items of but not add to when posting
content in reverse chronological on a site.
order, self-published by
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - i
27. chaMPioNS use the technology and develop preferences. People can set
In order to get conversations useful conversations. up their browsers to accept or
started in an online community, not accept cookies.
you need a group of enthusiasts oNLiNe
willing and confident to get coNFereNce coPyright
things moving by posting Happens in a Web forum: it Sharing through social media
messages, responding and is the conversations of those is enhanced by attaching a
helping others. involved, organized around Creative Commons license
topics, threads, and a theme specifying, for example, that
chat or subject. content may be re-used with
An interaction on a Web site, attribution, provided that a
with a number of people adding coNStructiveS similar license is then attached
text items one after the other The science of applying new by the new author. This work
into the same space at (almost) media viral mapping to a is under that type of license -
the same time. A place for chat, specific public affairs issue Creative Commons Attribution
a chatroom, differs from a forum to determine a projected Share-Alike 2.5 License.
because conversations happen outcome—educating readers
in “real time,” similar to face on projected paths. crowdSourciNg
to face. Crowdsourcing refers to
coNteNt harnessing the skills and
coLLaBoratioN Text, pictures, video and any enthusiasm of those outside
Social media tools from other meaningful material that an organization who are
e-mail lists to virtual worlds is on the Internet. prepared to volunteer their
offer enormous scope for time contributing content and
collaboration. Low-risk activities coNteNt solving problems.
like commenting, social MaNageMeNt
bookmarking, chatting and creative
SySteMS
blogging help develop the trust coMMoNS
Software suites offering the
necessary for collaboration. Creative Commons is a not-for-
ability to create static Web
pages, document stores, blogs, profit organization and licensing
coMMeNtS wikis and other tools. system that offers creators
Blogs may allow readers to the ability to fine-tune their
add feedback comments under copyright, spelling out the ways
coNverSatioN
posts, and may also provide a in which others may use their
Through blogging, commenting
feed for comments as well as works. For more information,
or contributing to forums, is the
for main items. visit: http://ourmedia.org/
currency of social networking,
which puts the “social” in this learning-center/topic/law/
oNLiNe form of media. A popular creative-commons.
coMMuNitieS perception of bloggers is of
Online communities are groups people ranting on a virtual cyBercuLture
of people communicating soapbox without knowing who A collection of cultures and
mainly through the Internet. is listening. cultural products that exist on
View a Second Life community, and/or are made possible by
Huffman Prairie, at www. cookie the Internet, along with the
secondlife.com. Information (in this case URLs, stories told about these cultures
Web addresses) created by and cultural products. Visit
coMMuNity a Web server and stored http://www.com.washington.
BuiLdiNg on a user’s computer. This edu/rccs/.
The process of recruiting information lets Web sites the
potential community or network user visits keep a history of a decoNStructiveS
participants, helping them to user’s browsing patterns and Systematically working back
find shared interests and goals,
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - ii
28. from a specific issue to identify postbox to any number of values. They are bounded: you
influencers through viral subscribers, and for them to are in a group, or not. They
mapping. respond. differ from networks, which
are dispersed, and defined by
deMocracy eMBeddiNg nodes and connections.
Social networking and media The act of inserting video or
are potentially attractive to photo to a Web site or e-mail. hyPerLiNk
those who want to revive Text, images or graphics that,
representative democracy, and Face-to-Face when clicked with a mouse
those who promote participative Used to describe people (or activated by keystrokes),
approaches or both. Social meeting offline. will connect the user to a new
media offers politicians and Web site. The link is usually
their constituents another FaciLitator obvious, such as underlined
communication channel. It also Someone who helps people text or a “button” of some type,
offers a wide range of methods in an online group or forum but not always.
for people to discuss, deliberate manage their conversations.
and take action. iNStaNt
FeedS MeSSagiNg (iM)
digitaL Story The means by which you can Chatting with one other person
A digital story is a short personal read, view or listen to items from using an IM tool like AOL
nonfiction narrative that is blogs and other RSS-enabled Instant Messenger, Microsoft
composed on a computer, sites without visiting the site, Live Messenger or Yahoo
often for publishing online or by subscribing and using an Messenger. The tools allow
publishing to a DVD. They aggregator or newsreader. you to indicate whether or not
are told from the narrator’s you are available for a chat, and
point of view and the subject FLaSh if so can be a good alternative
is generally about something Animation software used to to e-mails for a rapid exchange.
the maker experienced develop interactive graphics Problems arise when people in
personally. For example, see for Web sites as well as desktop a group are using different IM
Center for Digital Storytelling: presentations and games. tools that don’t connect.
(http://www.storycenter.org/),
Creative Narrations (http:// ForuMS LiSteNiNg
www.creativenarrations.net/). Discussion areas on Web In the blogosphere, the art of
sites, where people can skimming feeds to see what
doMaiN NaMe post messages or comment topics are bubbling up, and
A method of identifying on existing messages also setting up searches that
computer addresses. Your asynchronously—that is, monitor when an organization
e-mail address has a domain independently of time or place. is mentioned.
address. If there is an “.edu” at
the end of your e-mail address FrieNdS LiStServ
that means your account is On social networking sites, A list of e-mail addresses of
affiliated with an educational contacts whose profile you people with common interests.
institution. A “.com” extension link to in your profile, thereby Software enables people who
means the account is business creating your network. On some belong to a list to send messages
related and a government sites people have to accept the to the group without typing
account has a “.gov” suffix. link, in others, not. a series of addresses into the
message header.
e-MaiL LiStS grouPS
Important networking tools Collections of individuals with LurkerS
offering the ability to “starburst” some sense of unity through People who read but don’t
a message from a central their activities, interests or contribute or add comments
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - iii
29. to forums. The 1 percent rule-of- Peer-to-Peer information, this may include
thumb suggests that 1 percent Refers to direct interaction personal and business interests,
of people contribute new between two people in a a “blurb” and tags to help
content to an online community, network. In that network, each people search for like-minded
another nine percent comment, peer will be connected to other people.
and the rest lurk. peers, opening the opportunity
for further sharing and learning. reMiXiNg
MaShuPS Social media of fers the
Mixes of technology, audio, PerMaLiNk possibility of taking different
video and maps combining The address (URL) of an item items of content, identified by
several tools to create a new of content, for example a blog tags and published through
Web service. See www.popfly. post, rather than the address of a feeds, and combining them in
com for free development. Web page with lots of different different ways.
items. You will often find it at
NetworkS the end of a blog post. rSS
Structures defined by nodes and Shor t for Really Simple
the connections between them. PhotoShariNg Syndication. This allows
In social networks, the nodes Uploading images to a Web subscribers to receive content
are people, and the connections site like Flickr or Picasa, adding from blogs and other social
are the relationships that they tags and offering people the media sites and have it delivered
have. Networking is the process opportunity to comment or through a feed.
by which you develop and even re-use your photos if you
strengthen those relationships. add an appropriate copyright Shockwave
license. A three dimensional (3D)
NewSgrouP animation technology/format.
Internet “site” centered around PodcaSt
a specific topic or course. Some Audio or video content that can ShariNg
newsreader software can be downloaded automatically Offering other people the use of
“thread” discussion so there through a subscription to a Web text, images, video, bookmarks
can be various topics centered site so you can view or listen or other content by adding tags,
around a central theme. offline. and applying copyright licenses
that encourage use of content.
NewSreader PoSt
Web site or desktop tool that Item on a blog or forum. SMartMoB
acts as an aggregator, gathering When users get together for an
content from blogs and similar PreSeNce oNLiNe activity or event as a result of an
sites using RSS feeds so you Has (at least) two aspects. One online connection or network.
can read the content in one is whether you show up when
place, instead of having to visit someone does a search on your SociaL Media
different sites. name. The second is whether Tools and platforms people
you use tools that show you are use to publish, converse and
oPeN-Source available for contact by instant share content online. The tools
SoFtware messaging, voice over IP, or include blogs, wikis, podcasts
Software that is available under other synchronous methods and sites to share photos and
a license that permits users to of communication. bookmarks.
study, change and improve the
software, and to redistribute ProFiLeS SociaL
it in modified or unmodified Information that users provide NetworkiNg
form. It is often developed in about themselves when signing Online places where users
up for a social networking site. can create a profiles, and then
a public, collaborative manner. As well as a picture and basic socialize with others using a
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - iv
30. range of social media tools and they can’t be banned from whiteBoardS
including blogs, video, images, posting things on their own blog Online are the equivalent of
tags, lists of friends, forums and that point back to your site. glossy surfaces where one
messages. can write with an appropriate
urL marker pen and wipe off later.
StreaMiNg Media Unique Resource Locator is They are tools that enable one
Video or audio that is intended the technical term for a Web to write or sketch on a Web
to be listened to online but not address like http://www.af.mil. page, and as such are useful
stored permanently. in collaboration online.
uSer-geNerated
tagS coNteNt wiki
Keywords added to a blog post, Text, photos and other material A Web page — or set of
photo or video to help users produced by people who pages—that can be edited
find related topics or media. previously just consumed. See collaboratively. The best
content. known example is Wikipedia,
threadS an encyclopedia created by
Strands of conversation. virtuaL worLdS thousands of contributors across
Online places like Second the world. Once people have
trackBack Life, where you can create a appropriate permissions —set
A facility for other bloggers representation of yourself (an by the wiki owner—they can
to leave a calling card avatar) and socialize with other create pages and/or add to and
automatically, instead of residents. Basic activity is free, alter existing pages.
commenting. Blogger A may but you can buy currency (using
write on blog A about an item real money) in order to purchase XML
on blogger B’s site, and through land and trade with other (Extensible Markup Language)
the trackback facility leave a residents. Second Life is being System for organizing and
link on B’s site back to A. The used by some organizations to tagging elements of a document
collection of comments and run discussions, virtual events so that the document can be
trackbacks on a site facilitates and fundraising. transmitted and interpreted
conversations. between applications and
weB 2.0 organizations. Human readable
traNSPareNcy A term coined by O’Reilly Media XML tags defines “what it is,”
Enhances searching, sharing, in 2004 to describe blogs, wikis, and HTML defines “how it
self-publish and commenting social networking sites and looks.” XML allows designers
across networks, makes it easier other Internet-based services to create their own tags.
to find out what’s going on in that emphasize collaboration
any situation where there is and sharing, rather than less
online activity. interactive publishing (Web
1.0). It is associated with the
troLL idea of the Internet as platform.
A hurtful, but possibly valuable,
person who, for whatever widgetS
reason, is both obsessed Stand-alone applications, that
by and constantly annoyed can be embedded in other
with, and deeply offended by applications, like a Web site or
everything you write on a blog. a desktop, or viewed on a PDA.
One may not be able to stop the These may help accomplish
commenting of trolls on your missions like subscribe to a feed,
blog, but you can’t ban them do a specialist search or even
from commenting on other sites make a donation.
and pointing back to the blog,
Ne w Media a nd the Air Force - v
31. to see our Air Force videos visit:
www.youtube.com/afbluetube
to read our blogs visit:
airforcelive.dodlive.mil
to visit our online New Media dashboard go to:
www.netvibes.com/usafpublicaffairs
For more information, call AFpAA at 703-696-1158