Navy enlists Web 2.0

The Navy's chief information officer has endorsed the use of Web 2.0 tools to improve communication and collaboration.

Tools that include wikis, blogs and Web feeds will give warfighters seamless access to important information, said Navy CIO Robert Carey, who also 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,” Carey added.

Commands are encouraged to use Web 2.0 tools while still following existing regulations and policies, Carey wrote in a policy statement last month. 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.”