State Department employees could soon be prevented from live Tweeting, as well as posting to blogs or even giving speeches unless they first submit their remarks to the agency for approval.

The restriction is being formulated in new rules by State Department managers, who were upset after Foreign Service officer Peter Van Buren published a tell-all book about the U.S. reconstruction effort in Iraq.

Under the new rules, the State Department would get 48 hours to review Twitter posts and five days to approve a blog entry, speech, or remarks prepared for a live event.

The agency also would require 30 days to examine manuscripts before books go to print.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

State Dept to Rewrite Media Engagement Rules for Employees in Wake of Van Buren Affair (DiploPundit)

State Dept. Mulling New Rules On Employees’ Social Media, Other Speech (by Emily Heil, Washington Post)

State Department to Have USG’s Most Restrictive Social Media Rules (by Peter Van Buren, We Meant Well)

Worst Examples of Taxpayer Money Wasted in Iraq and Afghanistan (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)