Data Leak Shows National Security Risks of Online Gaming Groups

Data Leak Shows National Security Risks of Online Gaming Groups

Experts say online gaming services have long presented national security risks that are difficult for governments to control.

One such example is the recent release, or leak, of highly secret U.S. military documents shared on the Discord¹ messaging service. Discord is known for being a popular place for online video gamers to stay in touch and share ideas.

U.S. officials have charged a suspect with illegally taking and publishing the documents on Discord. The suspect is Jack² Teixeira, a 21-year-old member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard. He joined the National Guard in 2019.

Government documents explaining the charges state that Teixeira served as a computer specialist with the Massachusetts National Guard. National Guard forces in the United States usually perform duties for their own state. But they can also work together with the U.S. army and serve in federal military operations.

Teixeira worked in a group that provides intelligence support to many branches of the U.S. military, the charging documents said. He had a "top secret" security clearance³, meaning he had access to highly sensitive military information.

The U.S. government accuses Teixeira of sharing highly sensitive, or classified, documents about the Ukraine war and other top national security issues. The leak has raised new questions about America's ability to safeguard its classified secrets.

Some of the leaks are believed to have started on Discord. A user group called "Thug Shaker Central" had about 24 individuals who talked about their favorite guns and shared memes and jokes. The charging documents said Teixeira started publishing classified information on social media around December 2022.

The group also included a running discussion on wars, including talk of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In that discussion, one user known as "the O.G." often posted material he described as classified. Officials say O.G. was the name Teixeira used online.

Technology experts say online gaming groups have long been a worry of military leaders because of their popularity with young service members. U.S. officials have said they are limited in how closely they can follow suspicious activity to make sure published information does not threaten national security.

"The social media world and gaming sites in particular have been identified as a counterintelligence concern for about a decade," said Dan Meyer. He is a partner at the legal firm Tully Rinckey, which specializes in military and security clearance issues.

The military is involved in the online gaming community. Both the Army and Navy say they employ service members whose full-time⁴ job is to play in video game competitions as part of military eSports teams. The teams are considered an effective tool to possibly reach young gamers.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Defense⁵ Department, Sue Gough, said its intelligence collection activities are mainly centered internationally. In a statement to The Associated Press, Gough said the U.S. military carries out such activities in a way that follows "law and policy and in a manner that protects privacy and civil liberties."

Because of the difficulties of policing online leaks, the military instead carries out efforts to train service members never to release classified information in the first place.

Since the latest military information leak, the U.S. Defense Department is studying its processes to protect classified information better. Officials say these efforts include reducing the number of people who can see classified material.

The department is also advising service members with security clearances⁶, or permissions, that they have a lifetime requirement "to safeguard classified information," Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks said.

Those efforts, however, may not be enough.

Peter W. Singer is the writer of the fictional⁷ book Burn In, which imagines attacks on the U.S. planned by users of an online war game. Singer has advised U.S. military officials on security matters. He told the AP he considers gaming groups as just another form of social networks that carry national security risks.

He predicted that future spy plans and activities will likely launch from private online worlds. Singer said the growing number of social media and messaging services are no longer seen as popular places mainly for young people and online gamers.

Today, children and adults are using the services for everything from marketing⁸ and entertainment to criminality," Singer said. He added, "Is this the future? Most definitely."

Words in This Story

access – n. permission to enter or use something

meme – n. an idea, image, video, etc. that is spread very quickly on the internet

decade – n. a period of 10 years

manner – n. the way in which something is done

entertainment –n. a feeling of interest that comes from watching performances or playing games

definite – adj. something that is sure to happen

1 discord   

n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐

参考例句：

• These two answers are in discord.这两个答案不一样。
• The discord of his music was hard on the ear.他演奏的不和谐音很刺耳。

2 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

3 clearance   

n.净空；许可(证)；清算；清除，清理

参考例句：

• There was a clearance of only ten centimetres between the two walls.两堵墙之间只有十厘米的空隙。
• The ship sailed as soon as it got clearance. 那艘船一办好离港手续立刻启航了。

4 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 clearances   

清除( clearance的名词复数 )； 许可； （录用或准许接触机密以前的）审查许可； 净空

参考例句：

• But I can't get to him without clearances. 但是没有证明我就没法见到他。
• The bridge and the top of the bus was only ten clearances. 桥与公共汽车车顶之间的间隙只有十厘米。

7 fictional   

adj.小说的，虚构的

参考例句：

• The names of the shops are entirely fictional.那些商店的名字完全是虚构的。
• The two authors represent the opposite poles of fictional genius.这两位作者代表了天才小说家两个极端。

8 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。