LONDON -- Britain’s Ministry of Defense has issued new guidelines barring military personnel from speaking publicly about their service.
The regulations come in the wake of a dispute over allowing two sailors held captive in Iran to be paid for interviews, conferences and books about their experiences, The Guardian reported Friday.
The newspaper says it has learned that the new regulations prohibit sailors from blogging, taking part in surveys, speaking in public, posting on bulletin boards or sending text messages or photographs concerning matters of defense without the express permission of a superior.
The Guardian says the regulations, circulated last week, cover all public speaking, writing or other communications including the Internet and other video-sharing technologies.
Service personnel are currently bound by Queen’s Regulations, which mean they must seek permission before speaking to the press, but are free to blog and take part in online debates.
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