Close
  • Latest News
  • Cybersecurity
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Mobile
  • Networking
  • Storage
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Menu
eWEEK.com
Search
eWEEK.com
  • Latest News
  • Cybersecurity
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Mobile
  • Networking
  • Storage
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Applications
    • Applications
    • Networking

    10 Ways to Make Twitter a Useful Government Communication Channel

    By
    DON REISINGER
    -
    July 28, 2009
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Twitter is quickly becoming the most important social communication platform on the Web. Although Facebook still dominates the social networking arena, Twitter is leading the way in communications. It’s a social phenomenon. And although some organizations are still trying to decide if they should allow employees to engage in tweeting, the British government has made a decision.
      After mulling a 20-page Twitter strategy document written by a UK civil servant, the British government has decided that allowing workers to tweet is in its best interest. It claims that Twitter has significant advantages for those hoping to communicate with the public. And although it’s considered a platform that is rife with discussions of what users had for dinner last night, that stereotype is not necessarily true. Twitter can actually be used for some good.
      But before that’s illustrated, it’s important to remember that Facebook and Twitter have experienced some serious security problems. Both social networks have faced malware breakouts that hijacked profiles, installed malicious code on unsuspecting users’ computers, and more. Although both companies have tried to increase the security of their platforms, they haven’t been entirely successful. Furthermore, it’s important to realize that some users are not who they claim to be. There are dozens of Sarah Palin Twitter accounts, for example.

      Tony La Russa, manager of Major League Baseball’s St. Louis Cardinals, filed suit against Twitter in June claiming that a Twitter user created an account under La Russa’s name and posted Tweets that defamed him and damaged his reputation. La Russa quietly dropped the suit a month later after Twitter shut down the offending account.

      These cases demonstrate that you can’t entirely rely on the identities and motives of anyone you may communicate with on Twitter. That said, Twitter is still a compelling platform. As long as those caveats are considered, it could make for a far better social experience in the government sector.
      Here’s how to make it work:
      1. Social matters
      Being social counts for something today. The public expects it. More importantly, they expect it from the government that’s working for them. The public expects those employees to be forthright about what’s going on behind the scenes. Twitter can play a major role in meeting that demand.
      2. It’s the new press release
      Although press releases are still used by governments to disseminate important information, few people in the public read them. For the most part, they’re ignored. But if that same information is syndicated to a Twitter page, all that would change. It would create a spirit of openness. And it might help the public trust the government just a little more.
      3. Remember security
      Government IT must always take security into account. Even though tweeting is a great way to make the government more accessible, it means nothing when workers are being affected by malware. Tweeting is a communications platform. It shouldn’t provide a back door for data thieves to use to access IT systems and databases.
      4. Education is key
      When it comes time for workers to start tweeting, IT personnel need to educate government workers on best practices and on security issues that might arise. If they allow workers to set out in the world of Twitter with no guidance, it could spell trouble.
      5. Quantity matters
      Tweeting once every week won’t be enough. Governments looking to start tweeting need to maintain a regular stream of Twitter updates. At the same time, they shouldn’t go overboard-Twitter users don’t want their streams overrun with government tweets. A good rule of thumb: Stay between three and 10 tweets per day.
      6. Quality matters too
      Once workers start tweeting, IT should remind them that users don’t want to read tweets that they don’t care about-they want to see tweets that are on-topic. It’s also important to remind staff that they represent the government, so tweets should be grammatically sound. The public wants to know that the people working for them are qualified. That should come across in every tweet.
      7. Engage in dialogue
      Tweeting will help a government in its PR endeavors, but it can only go so far if workers don’t respond to queries by other users. Did a few followers ask a question? Are they wondering what the last tweet meant? Simply ignoring those questions won’t do anyone any good. They need to be answered.
      8. Ensure relevance
      Government agencies need to set guidelines for the topics their workers post on Twitter. They should be kept relevant to the work of the government. It’s a simple rule, but it’s extremely important.
      9. It’s a work account
      Following those lines, it’s important to remind workers that the account they are using isn’t a personal Twitter account. It’s a work account that should be handled professionally. Never should personal discourse become part of the conversation.
      10. Some review might be needed
      Simply educating employees and giving them some tweeting guidelines probably won’t be enough. From time to time, IT workers will need to review tweets to ensure staffers are following the rules. IT staff should also check to make sure tweets are serving the agency’s objectives. If they don’t, workers should be reminded to keep focused on the agency’s business.
      Governments have many ways to communicate with the public. Twitter and the Internet are latest. Government agencies have to make sure they are using these new communication channels at least as effectively as they are using the long-established ones.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Android

      Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro: Durability for Tough...

      CHRIS PREIMESBERGER - December 5, 2020 0
      Have you ever dropped your phone, winced and felt the pain as it hit the sidewalk? Either the screen splintered like a windshield being...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Why Data Security Will Face Even Harsher...

      CHRIS PREIMESBERGER - December 1, 2020 0
      Who would know more about details of the hacking process than an actual former career hacker? And who wants to understand all they can...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      How Veritas Is Shining a Light Into...

      EWEEK EDITORS - September 25, 2020 0
      Protecting data has always been one of the most important tasks in all of IT, yet as more companies become data companies at the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      How NVIDIA A100 Station Brings Data Center...

      ZEUS KERRAVALA - November 18, 2020 0
      There’s little debate that graphics processor unit manufacturer NVIDIA is the de facto standard when it comes to providing silicon to power machine learning...
      Read more
      Apple

      Why iPhone 12 Pro Makes Sense for...

      WAYNE RASH - November 26, 2020 0
      If you’ve been watching the Apple commercials for the past three weeks, you already know what the company thinks will happen if you buy...
      Read more
      eWeek


      Contact Us | About | Sitemap

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      Terms of Service | Privacy Notice | Advertise | California - Do Not Sell My Info

      © 2020 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×