canadian soldier blog shutdown

Soldier's weblog shut down
March 13, 2006, SUN MEDIA

EDMONTON -- The Canadian military has closed an Edmonton-based soldier's weblog, saying it gave away too much tactical information about the mission in Afghanistan.

Katie McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for Land Force Western Area, said the soldier who was serving in Afghanistan with the Provincial Reconstruction Team was not disciplined over the incident.

The blog in question included postings on schedules for soldiers' watch shifts, and approximate travel times for Canadian personnel moving from village to village.

The Defence Department has a policy restricting the sorts of information and opinions soldiers can express to civilians.

But the rapid spread of laptop and wireless technology -- and the growing use of weblogs among soldiers on active duty -- have military brass struggling to keep a lid on tactical info.