The registration of a police case against the wife of an Army officer in Jammu and Kashmir for allegedly sharing sensitive information with foreign intelligence operatives has put the spotlight on a “gap” in social media regulations as the strict rules governing serving armed forces personnel do not apply to their spouses or children.The woman has been booked for allegedly collecting and sharing sensitive information through social media with foreign intelligence operatives, including individuals linked to China.Serving personnel are barred from tagging their locations online and are required to report any social media interaction initiated by a stranger. Their spouses, however, aren’t required to do so.“The spouse of an officer will be covered under the Official Secrets Act, as applicable to any civilian. Rules governing social media use are for serving officers and cannot be extended to spouses,” an official told The Tribune. The official said the Army Act does not apply to spouses and, therefore, restrictions framed under service rules cannot be imposed on them.Over the past decade, there has been a rise in espionage cases involving Pakistani intelligence handlers posing as women online. In December 2019, seven Navy personnel were arrested in a spying racket in which handlers allegedly honey-trapped sailors on Facebook and paid them through hawala channels.Earlier cases included an Air Force officer accused of leaking material related to military exercises to the ISI after being contacted online. In May this year, another IAF officer was arrested for allegedly being lured by a woman suspected to have links with the ISI.In recent years, the armed forces have laid down strict rules for the use of social media by serving personnel. While spouses, children and other dependants are expected to be aware of these restrictions and are sensitised through in-house wives and family welfare organisations about potential online security threats, the service rules cannot be enforced against them.The Ministry of Defence also prohibits its employees from using smartphones inside offices. Similarly, mobile phones are not permitted in operational areas of the Army, IAF and Navy, or at the headquarters of the three services. In December 2025, the Army issued a revised social media policy allowing “passive participation” by its personnel on social media, while strictly prohibiting the posting of photographs in uniform or images that could reveal locations. The personnel are also barred from posting images or videos of official functions or evening get-togethers online.In the past, Army advisories have also covered dependants. In 2017, an advisory was issued to personnel as well as their spouses, families and dependants after rumours and fake letters relating to pay circulated online. In 2019, family members were asked to remove references to serving personnel and photographs of officers in uniform from social media amid concerns that intelligence operatives were using online platforms to profile officers and their families.The Navy and the IAF have similar social media policies. In a December 2019 order, the Navy banned the use of Facebook by all personnel and prohibited smartphones on warships, in dockyards and at bases. It also imposed restrictions on the use of messaging, content-sharing and similar apps.