The FBI has always had a complicated relationship with public messaging. During my time as a supervisory special agent, deputy unit chief in the National Press Office, and later as special assistant to the assistant director of Public Affairs, I saw firsthand how communication could either build public trust — or erode it — depending on timing, tone and transparency.
For years, the Bureau treated social media like a legal filing: formal, cautious and painfully slow. Messages were tightly controlled, centralized and stripped of any emotion. That culture reflected a deep-rooted aversion to risk — understandable in law enforcement — but it also left a vacuum.
Today, the FBI’s approach looks different. Under current leadership, the Bureau has stepped more confidently into the digital arena, using social media to highlight the real work of FBI agents protecting Americans every day — fighting cybercriminals, stopping domestic terrorism, rescuing kidnapped children. The messaging is faster, clearer, and more human. It’s less about bureaucracy and more about mission. That shift actually started back in 2008, when I created @FBIPressOffice on Twitter.
FBI WARNS OF SCAM TARGETING VICTIMS WITH FAKE HOSPITALS AND POLICE
At the time, the FBI had almost no real presence online. The news cycle was speeding up, and a few of us in the Office of Public Affairs knew that if we didn’t start telling our own story, someone else would — and they wouldn’t always get it right.
Our idea was simple: use Twitter like community policing. Get out in front, not only when something went wrong, but every day. Be part of the conversation. Let the American people see the men and women behind the badge, doing the hard work that usually stays out of sight.
Even then, the FBI’s use of social media leaned heavily one-way — more of a bullhorn than a real conversation with the public. Engaging directly with online comments wasn’t practical, and today, with trolls, misinformation and coordinated attacks so common, it’s even tougher. Genuine engagement in a digital world is daunting. But trust isn’t built through press releases alone. It’s earned by being visible, being real, and showing up consistently, even when it’s hard.
Since then, the FBI’s digital voice has evolved. The unified @FBI account now delivers news, safety alerts, and behind-the-scenes glimpses that would have been unimaginable years ago. It’s a major step forward — but it comes with real risks.
When I helped lead communications efforts, one rule guided everything: never compromise a case for the sake of a headline. Department of Justice policies were clear — don’t discuss active investigations, don’t leak sensitive details and don’t jeopardize a fair trial.
Protecting the system of justice always came first. Several U.S. attorneys I worked with made that point plain: poison the jury pool, and you can destroy a case before it ever reaches a courtroom.
Balancing transparency with protecting justice has never been tougher. News, rumors and lies spread instantly. Staying silent risks losing the public’s trust. Saying too much risks losing a case. Navigating that tension takes experience, discipline and judgment.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION
Some will say the FBI’s new digital push is just spin — and frankly, sometimes it looks that way. When messaging strays into self-promotion, it’s a real problem. But modern communication isn’t optional anymore. It’s necessary — and it’s complicated. The Bureau must adapt while fiercely protecting the integrity of its investigations.
Americans deserve to see the real FBI — not just leadership in Washington, but the rank-and-file brick agents, analysts and professionals across the country who get up every morning, put on the badge, and quietly defend our freedoms. Most didn’t take this job for attention. But showing their work helps the public understand and trust the Bureau’s mission.
Building trust today means reaching people where they are — and for most Americans, that means on the phones in their pockets. For now, social media shouldn’t replace traditional media, but it has to complement it. If the FBI wants to remain credible and connected, it has to show up across platforms — and do it with the same commitment to ethics and standards that defines real justice.
The mission hasn’t changed: protect the American people and uphold the Constitution. But the battlefield has expanded. Law enforcement today isn’t only fighting physical threats — it’s also fighting disinformation and distrust.
In this fight, silence isn’t an option.