CIA needs refresher course on blogs

The CIA's controversial firing of software contractor Christine Axsmith was obvious cannon fodder for diatribes involving politics, intelligence agencies and free speech. But high-minded considerations aside, the issue may have simply come down to the government's misunderstanding of blogs.

As the Washington Post reported, "Hundreds of blog posts appear on Intelink. The CIA says blogs and other electronic tools are used by people working on the same issue to exchange information and ideas." That was the first mistake. A blog, as written by Axsmith and any anyone else in the sphere, is fair game for any kind of comment and content. If the CIA wanted its Intelink postings to stay on point, it should never have allowed personal blogs in the first place.

Some commercial enterprises allow their employees to maintain independent blogs that discuss their companies, while others do not; either way, most have clearly outlined the distinction between personal musings and the discussion of trade secrets--and, more importantly, police transgressions as they come up instead of letting them pile up until they have to fire someone. The CIA would do well to take a page from those employee handbooks.

Blog community response:

"The idea behind Intelink is genius. But if it devolves into people who shouldn't even be posting on the damned thing bitching about the cafeteria food, it becomes a time waster."
--Outside The Beltway

"With most bloggers trying hard to find ways to get their blog linked and increase their readership, there is something cool about a blog which requires top-secret security clearance to read."
--The Democratic Daily

"She committed the crime of 'lack of judgement' and has paid for it. Common sense tells you that under the rule of King George, you do NOT talk any 'backtalk.'"
--Freepress