UK’s Ministry of Defence has kick started a new vide campaign on YouTube to highlight the risks associated with the use of social networking by members of the defense forces.

The MoD accepts social networking sites are "great for keeping in touch with family and friends, and letting the world know what you’re up to", but cautions that "there may be those who are using such sites for unsavoury reasons".

The department is posting a series of videos on YouTube to describe the risks of terrorists or other hostile forces hijacking innocent online status updates to cause harm physically. The department believes that details about planned operations, movements of troops and aircraft or the location of ships might be leaked through tweets or chats from servicemen and their families.

The department said that it wants its members to use sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube but also wants the users to know the risks associated. The youTube video shows a a balaclava-wearing terrorist drinking tea with the mother of an airman who uses Facebook, and dancing with navy personnel in a nightclub after they check in on Foursquare.

More videos on the story will be posted on the MOD’s “DefenceHeadquarters” channel in the next month.