Navy encourages use of Web 2.0 tools

Navy officials endorse the use of Web 2.0 tools to improve communication and collaboration, according to a policy memo written by Robert Carey, the Navy's chief information officer. Tools that include wikis, blogs and Web feeds will give warfighters seamless access to important information, Carey said. The memo was issued Oct. 20 by Carey, who is the first government CIO to publish a public blog. “Web 2.0 tools are useful in a global enterprise, such as the Department of the Navy, as they enable widely dispersed commands and personnel to more effectively collaborate and share information,” he said. Commands are encouraged to use Web 2.0 tools while still following existing regulations and policies, Carey wrote. Collaborative tools must not compromise confidential data, he wrote, adding that Navy and Marine personnel must be careful when using Web 2.0 tools on the Navy’s unclassified network. Despite the safeguards and restrictions, Carey said the tools will play an important role in fulfilling the Navy's information-sharing goals. “Web 2.0 tools can significantly improve warfighter communications and effectiveness through a suite of Web-based tools that are robust and resistant to compromise,” he said. “Additional policy and guidance regarding Web 2.0 emerging technologies is forthcoming.”