Dear Molly,
Isn’t CIA supposed to be a super-secret spy agency? Why is CIA active on social media?
~ Oh So Social
* * * * *
Dear Oh So Social,
Did you know that your moniker is a tongue-in-cheek nickname for CIA’s World War II predecessor, the Office of Strategic Services, or OSS? That’s neat! But back to your question.
You’re right. CIA is a spy agency with a certain mystique. For most people—whether prospective employees, partners, or the public writ large—the only information they can access about the CIA is from our online presence. These website visitors and account followers can get a little insight into the Agency’s core mission, which is to leverage intelligence on global developments and the capabilities, plans, and intentions of foreign adversaries to keep our Nation safe.
Where can you find us? CIA.gov went live in 1995. More than a decade later, CIA launched official social media accounts in response to shifting digital consumption patterns.
CIA joined YouTube and Flickr back in early 2011 and continues to post videos that reach millions of viewers, as well as government-owned, copyright-free images for anyone to access and use. CIA’s Facebook and Twitter (now X) accounts debuted in 2014. Facebook is one of our most versatile platforms, providing an inside look at CIA through featured stories, artifacts, and virtual tours. Our initial foray onto Twitter, however, drew massive public interest.
Take a look at our very first Tweet:
Our one-year “Twitterversary” also went viral as we counted down the “Top Five Reasons to Follow @CIA”:
![Twitter post that reads: "In our second year we are going to [REDACTED]" Hashtag: Twitterversary.](/static/8614aee0805b9797f4779e7d3779628c/083f7/Capture-of-Twitterversary-Top-Five-4.webp)
What a wild trip down memory lane… but, wait! There’s MORE!
CIA’s Office of Public Affairs—which I’m a part of—began using LinkedIn in 2018. A year later, we ventured onto Instagram, where we share visually-compelling photos, videos, and stories.
As you can see, one of CIA’s primary uses of social media is to increase transparency. We also aim to dispel misconceptions. So, for those who may be suspicious about our social media presence, a quick reminder: the Agency does NOT have the authority to collect information on U.S. citizens or their domestic activities. (See my previous Ask Molly response.)
Secondly, CIA uses social media to highlight career opportunities for a broad pool of users who may not have ever entertained the idea of working for the Agency. CIA is always looking for candidates with mission critical skills, relevant experiences, and language capabilities to respond to the intelligence demands of tomorrow. What better place to reach potential applicants than on socials? We encourage our followers to learn more about the vast career opportunities and to tell their family and friends.
Finally, the Agency is nothing if not adaptable, finding yet another use for social media – foreign agent recruitment. In 2023, CIA launched a Telegram channel to reach individuals in countries who may not have access to other platforms. We have since released a series of videos designed to resonate with brave, disaffected Russian and Chinese citizens willing to partner with us.
For more information on CIA’s foreign outreach efforts using social media and the secure web, be sure to check out the May edition of “Inside CIA: The Newsletter” on LinkedIn.
Well, Oh So Social, I hope I answered your question on our use of social media platforms. If you want to follow along, see you on social!
Find CIA on all your favorite socials:
Instagram
Facebook
X
LinkedIn
YouTube
P.S. - CIA will never contact individuals on social media. Please remember this if you get any phish-y (pardon the pun) messages claiming to be from us.
~ Molly