MoD to impose gagging order on blogs written by army personnel

The Ministry of Defence has imposed a ban on members of the armed forces using modern technology to communicate about their experiences.

Soldiers, sailors and other members of the armed forces will be barred from blogging, which has taken off in army circles in recent years and in some cases led to investigations, including on practices in Iraq.

Many internet messages have criticised issues such as poor equipment and kit, and even the justifications of Britain's various military operations. The blogging represented a loophole in old Queen's Regulations which call for personnel to ask permission from superiors to speak to the press.

Now forces members will be banned from talking online and furthermore prevented from taking part in surveys, post on bulletin boards, or sending pictures or video material without permission, if the messages concern defence matters.

Instead, "all such communication must help to maintain and, where possible, enhance the reputation of defence", according to the guidelines quoted last night by The Guardian newspaper. The new rules cover "all public speaking, writing or other communications, including via the internet and other sharing technologies, on issues arising from an individual's official business or experience, whether on-duty, off-duty or in spare time".

They come after forces members were also banned from receiving money from the media in the wake of the dispute over the HMS Cornwall sailors held captive in Iran selling their stories to tabloid newspapers.

The rules, which also apply to Territorial Army and cadets whilst on duty, as well as MoD civil servants, were already provoking anger. One user of an unofficial forces site - arrse.co.uk - said: "Why does it not occur to MoD that if it did things properly, and treated its people well, they wouldn't feel the need to bring things into the public arena quite so often, and they wouldn't need to spend so much time covering up?"

Another said: "Every single leak of significant information to the media, certainly in the last six months, has come from the top down. Not the other direction. Should Cpl Bloggs, or Major Good Bloke in some Platoon House in downtown Helmand-on-Styx complain in a private letter that he hasn't enough ammo to despatch the Queens' enemies, or the RAF really should try harder to deliver it, it's 'March in the guilty Bastard' and 'conduct prejudicial to good order' and discipline and finger-wagging all round."

The MoD denied the guidelines were "new" but were merely being modernised. A spokesman said: "We are trying to give straightforward, clear guidance that is up to date. The existing regulations were confusing and didn't include things like accepting payment. It applies to communicating about defence matters, not personal things. Particular things can impact on operational security; information which somebody can get a hold of. Even a little photograph sent from Afghanistan on a mobile phone could endanger people's lives and break operational security."

He added: "It is not gagging. It is setting out procedures so people know what the rules are." Those infringing the rules would be dealt with on a case by case basis, he said.