No Generational Divide in Web 2.0

In following up on my Thursday post on the Army's reversal of a ban on some Web 2.0 applications, I found this article by Hollis Templeton particularly interesting, as it spotlights a growing understanding across government that harnessing Web 2.0 applications is essential to protecting national security, so long as users of those applications know where to draw the line on what should or should not be divulged.

There's a lot of research out on how the millennial generation poses a greater risk to security, largely because they access Web 2.0 platforms much more frequently at work than do older employees. But as use of Web 2.0 technologies become more prevalent, especially in government, I think it's fair to say that the concern spans all generations. The article, for example, highlights differing attitudes toward self-censorship by a 26-year-old soldier who safely recounts his missions in the Middle East and the less-than-cautious attempt by Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Mich., to use Twitter to discuss his whereabouts on a recent trip to Iraq.

As the Obama administration seeks to expand the uses of these technologies across

government, equally as important will be the development of education and training for employees on the appropriate uses of such platforms to share information. I was surprised to learn in the article that there is no official policy on Web 2.0 for congressional staff in place, so I'm curious to hear from you all on whether the same is true at your federal agencies.