State Department To Columbia University Students: DO NOT Discuss WikiLeaks On Facebook, Twitter

UPDATE: On Monday, John H. Coatsworth, the SIPA Dean, reversed the university's earlier position, affirming that students "have a right to discuss and debate any information in the public arena...without fear of adverse consequences." Wired obtained the email:

Freedom of information and expression is a core value of our institution. Thus, SIPA's position is that students have a right to discuss and debate any information in the public arena that they deem relevant to their studies or to their roles as global citizens, and to do so without fear of adverse consequences

ORIGINAL STORY:

Talking about WikiLeaks on Facebook or Twitter could endanger your job prospects, a State Department official warned students at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs this week.

An email from SIPA's Office of Career Services went out Tuesday afternoon with a caution from the official, an alumnus of the school. Students who will be applying for jobs in the federal government could jeopardize their prospects by posting links to WikiLeaks online, or even by discussing the leaked documents on social networking sites, the official was quoted as saying.

"[The alumnus] recommends that you DO NOT post links to these documents nor make comments on social media sites such as Facebook or through Twitter," the Office of Career Services advised students. "Engaging in these activities would call into question your ability to deal with confidential information, which is part of most positions with the federal government."

While the massive disclosure of once-classified documents detailing some of the nation's most tightly-guarded secrets has inflamed allies and enemies alike, the move by the State Department represents a new front in the administration's campaign against leaks.

Philip J. Crowley, spokesman for the State Department, denied in an email message any federal involvement:

This is not true. We have instructed State Department employees not to access the WikiLeaks site and download posted documents using an unclassified network since these documents are still classified. We condemn what Mr. Assange is doing, but have given no advice to anyone beyond the State Department to my knowledge.

When asked why Columbia — which confirmed to the New York Times earlier today that an email had been sent from its offices — would have sent the message, Crowley said, "If an employee of the State Department sent such an email, it does not represent a formal policy position."

Earlier this week, companies like Amazon and PayPal shut off the services they provided to WikiLeaks, threatening the site's survival and impeding further dissemination of its treasure trove of classified documents.

Now, however, it appears the federal government has moved beyond staunching the flow of leaked information, to suppressing even the very mention of WikiLeaks online by prospective employees.

While republishing the leaked documents could indeed raise legal issues for students, it was the admonition against social media chatter that riled some at Columbia.

"They seem to be unable to make the distinction between having an opinion and having a contractual obligation to keep a secret," said Hugh Sansom, a masters student from New York.

Students were taken aback by the email, said Sansom, who described his non-American classmates -- nearly half of this year's incoming class at Columbia speaks a native language other than English -- as "amused and surprised."

By late in the week, word of the email had reached the blogosphere.

"Seems the ambitious young things studying IR and considering a foreign service careers are being warned not to touch Cablegate," wrote Issandr El Amrani at The Arabist. A comment posted to that story said that Georgetown University had been similarly put on notice.

Stephen D. Biddle, a professor at the school, said that the email amounted to counseling on the university's part.

"It strikes me as entirely plausible that some government officials would take a dim view of people appearing to use WikiLeaks material for professional gain," Biddle said.

But as for commenting on the leaked information on Facebook or Twitter, Biddle acknowledged, "once it's out, it's out."

The email, obtained by The Huffington Post, is published in full:

From: Office of Career Services
Date: Tue, Nov 30, 2010 at 3:26 PM
Subject: Wikileaks - Advice from an alum
To: "Office of Career Services (OCS)"

Hi students,

We received a call today from a SIPA alumnus who is working at the State Department. He asked us to pass along the following information to anyone who will be applying for jobs in the federal government, since all would require a background investigation and in some instances a security clearance.

The documents released during the past few months through Wikileaks are still considered classified documents. He recommends that you DO NOT post links to these documents nor make comments on social media sites such as Facebook or through Twitter. Engaging in these activities would call into question your ability to deal with confidential information, which is part of most positions with the federal government.

Regards,
Office of Career Services

Comments

[WakeUp2021]

12:56 PM on 12/11/2010

Silly 1st Amendment...

Bad constitution...bad!

[Siebenstein]

03:41 AM on 12/11/2010

"Free Speech" isn't that free afterall in America !

[twhiting9275]

03:29 PM on 12/11/2010

Free speech does not apply in the workplace. You don't get to walk into your bosses office, tell him (or her) off and expect to have that job at the end of the day.

[Taylor Jocelyn]

02:31 PM on 12/10/2010

The government needs to admit to sending the email because they expect the students not to lie and have responsibility and have confidentiality yet, the government is the one who wouldn't keep the top confidential information secret in the first place. So we think it's unfair to restrain the hardworking college students at columbia university when the college students have nothing to do with situation. The government needs to think about their own actions before they act hypocritically and blame others.

[D-Ridge Student]

02:22 PM on 12/10/2010

The actions taken to the Columbia University students was handled in an inappropriate manor. The government had the right to ask the students not to write about the leaked documents, but the government did not have the right to threaten them with these punishments. The reason why is because the students have every right to speak/post about the leaked documents on public sites and why they believe its wrong or right. Furthermore, if the government considers these documents classified information then the government should have had this information more secure, this way it would not have been seen by the publics eyes. Thus the information being called classified.

[inder and conor]

02:17 PM on 12/10/2010

We disagree with with not being able to post links on facebook and twitter about wikileaks because American citizens have the freedom of press and speech. the government needs to understand that posting opinions is not the same as being a traitor. a traitor is someone who would give this information to America's enemies and talks behind America's back.

[buba4]

02:17 PM on 12/10/2010

We agree with the government . We believe that if the students of Columbia University want a job with the government they should keep there opinions to themselves and can't share the information on twitter or facebook . Thats the price you have to pay to work for the government .

[Dakota Ridge Freshmen]

02:12 PM on 12/10/2010

After reading the article, we disagree with the fact that posting an opinion on social networks could cost you your future high paying career in the field of government. Also, this is taking away the freedom of speech from Columbia University grad-students. If the students do engage and post their opinion; the government questions the student's ability to keep confidential information safe. You should be able to post an opinion and not jeopardize national security. If the government feels that everyone should be silent, then they are targeting a larger range of people. Whether the government likes it or not, people are going to talk; you can't silence Americans because you're taking away our amendment. At the same time we should be cautious of our words, and what we post because if the government silences us on this subject then how will we know that they're not taking away our freedom of speech.

[DRHS2014]

02:06 PM on 12/10/2010

This article is about unleashed government documents. Concluding that if these students were to talk about these documents on communication websites like Facebook and Twitter. As in result of sharing their opinions,the students may be in consequence of, not being able to get a governmental or state job.This problem is horrifying but, partly the the governments fault for not having better security. If you think about the first amendment this is a violation of the right to freedom of speech. Concluding this is unconstitutional.

[Jacob Bickley]

10:27 AM on 12/10/2010

I strongly agree with the way that the government is, in a way, controlling students from Colombia University. If some of the kids desire a job with the federal government, the should do as told and keep quiet about the documents released from Wikileaks. The email from the Office of Career Services notified the students to not post any links to these documents nor make any comments or remarks abouth them on any social media sites, or the internet in general. I can see how the students could be mad because a lot of them have been planning to work with the federal government is what a lot of these kids have been working very hard to do and now their chance might be ruined. Maybe the government should have had better security before the incident occured, but for now they are handling it very well.

[Sofia Chang]

10:23 AM on 12/10/2010

We agree with what the State Department did, in telling the columbian collage students that they were not to post any mention of this on a public website such as a facebook and twitter. I think that this was a great thing to do because if you are wanting a job in government and are caught talking about this, it shows your ability to deal with confidential information, which if you are not able to do ,maybe a job in the government is not for you, seeing as the government deals with confidential information on a daily bases. This is why we think the government did the right thing in telling the Columbian collage students what they did.
Dakota Ridge Sudents.

[Leah LaMonaca]

10:23 AM on 12/10/2010

I agree with the Office of Career services. Student's should know not to talk about the classified documents on twitter or facebook. If a collage student talks about the document on facebook or twitter they shouldn't get a job with the US government because after knowing not to do this and being warned they should follow the rules. By leaking out information after being warned it shows that they are not trust worthy and cannot be trusted to keep classified documents classified! Even though students were amused and surprised they need to follow what the Office of Career services recomended if the want a job with the US government. When they say what's put on the internet stays on the internet they mean it!! So students shouldn't talk about classified documents on twitter of facebook!

[twhiting9275]

03:31 PM on 12/11/2010

Not just that, but it makes the student less believable as a candidate for 'secrecy' jobs. 
In the end, while they may have their opinion, and they are right to disagree, they can't expect to attack a company and get (or keep) a job with the same company.

[Jacob Ives]

10:21 AM on 12/10/2010

To the editor:
We agree with the way the government handled the Wikileaks situation because they did not force the students not to talk about it, they were just warning the students that if they did, they wouldn't be able to get a job in the U.S. government. We think that they handled the situation well because they didn't over react about it. They didn't violate any people's rights. They didn't force anyone to stay quiet, they just recommended it.

[DR Eng Student]

10:21 AM on 12/10/2010

I strongly disagree with this. The students weren't the ones who leaked the documents in the first place!! The government doesn't know whether or not the college students could be trusted to keep the information confidential by just looking at them. Its the governments fault for hiring someone who obviously shouldn't have been trusted. They should be spending more time trying to delete the "confidential" documents, and less time worrying about college students ruining the governments precious reputation. ITS THEIR FAULT

[Zachary Hollon]

10:19 AM on 12/10/2010

I recently read your article about the WikiLeaks, and How the office of Career Services sent a letter to the students attending Columbia University in New York. The article wanted the students not to post references on social networks.I agree with the office of career services, when they say they will not get a job in the government sent a letter to the University because they want students with a degree from law school. Not just an average college kid.

[Dakota Ridge]

10:17 AM on 12/10/2010

I think that the state department has the right to deny government jobs to students at columbia who post links or talk about wikileaks. I believe so because they are the employer and have the choice to higher or not higher someone based on what they say online because this can help prove how well the can keep confidential information.