U.S. Military, Spies and Allies Fight Fake News on Social Media With Wit and Humor

The U.S. military may be the country’s warfighting machine, but its many personnel operate in a wide range of fields, including across social media, where U.S. officers are working alongside spies and allies not only to battle disinformation from foreign forces and trolls, but also engaging with users in sometimes comedic ways that are redefining their industries.

“I know there is some risk to my style of humor, but who wants Army leaders who are risk averse?” Lieutenant General Theodore D. Martin, deputy commander of the Army Training and Doctrine and Command, told Newsweek.

Martin has made somewhat of a name for himself for his Twitter antics, which are intended to reinforce official policy and boost morale. Recently, the three-star general broadcast himself jokingly bribing military police with donuts, whipping up grilled cheese sandwiches with a blowtorch and parking his old “hooptie” in the coveted spot reserved for the flag officer’s vehicle.

He sees his high-profile presence as an asset for his position and the service as a whole.

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“I think it’s a huge advantage to be on social media as a leader, and I highly encourage other leaders to get in the fight if they are not doing so already,” Martin said. “Don’t be afraid—fear is a bad trait for a leader.”

He explained how his work humanizes his message, and makes him more accessible to soldiers, non-commissioned officers and all ranks down to the squad level, where unlike many in the top brass, most have grown up with social media. If they’re using it, so should he, Martin told Newsweek.

“I want to be where the soldiers are at,” Martin said, “and they are on social media.”

It also offers an opportunity for unfiltered feedback, both positive and negative. Sometimes, Martin said he felt the need to step in when he saw users posting information that was incorrect or misleading, especially as it related to the U.S. military.

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“You have to be prepared to correct misconceptions quickly on social media,” he said, “so a false perception doesn’t spread.”

But among his most frequent targets are some of his fellow servicemen.

“When you talk about disinformation—look no further than the Navy,” Martin said in jest. “They’re always putting out propaganda about how they’re going to beat Army…nuts.”

And despite the online ribbing between the two branches, the Navy too takes its social media operations seriously.

For the U.S. military, social media has arrived.

“It’s no longer a question of if social media will be part of outreach efforts,” Rear Admiral Charlie Brown, who heads the Navy Chief of Information Office (CHINFO), told Newsweek, “it is only a question of how.”

Like Martin, he saw a need to go against the grain in a traditionally conservative institution gradually adapting to a new mindset on communication.

“Military organizational culture is generally risk averse,” Brown said. “Leaders tend to value the ability to minimize variables and to control interactions, but that approach is not compatible with effective use of social media.”

But Brown says social media interaction is not for the timid.

“Like in any relationship, we need to be willing to be a little vulnerable and tolerate some risk if we want to engage in authentic interaction,” he said.

He said it’s a matter of engaging with your audience, which is ultimately a reflection of the institution itself.

“If you’re not willing to engage with the community—if you’re only transmitting, and not listening or responding—then that choice says more about your organization than any press release will,” he said.