In many of the presentations I’ve given about the wide array of web 2.0 technologies and free social media tools available for government communicators, the question inevitably comes up, “What are your policies for using this stuff?” Some people are concerned that this technology is so new that it could turn into a nightmare without clear policies and procedures on what can and cannot be used.
The short answer is – there really are no consistent policies and practices – yet.
Social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Flickr, UStream and others are so new to the scene that most government agencies haven’t had enough time to really test their effectiveness and understand the potential downsides. Some agencies don’t even want to test them because they see them as kids games or useless distractions the workplace. As a general rule, most government webmasters and IT folks have wholesale blocked access to these sites because they perceive them to be a threat to security or uncontrollable. To some degree, they’re right.
Should We Be Using Social Media Tools at Work?
The answer is, yes – assuming you have access to them. I always encourage professional communicators and crisis managers to explore every available tool out there – especially if it’s free and there’s a big audience that can be tapped.
However, you should also talk to your IT and management staff to see what your company/agency policy is (if they have one). Let them know ahead of time that you’d like to test these technologies to see if they can benefit your organization and then reassure them that you would like them to be a part of the process – so they can feel comfortable you’re not going to download the world’s largest virus or cause the FBI to seize their servers (because that’s what they fear the most).
What is the Federal Government Doing with New Media?
President Obama’s arrival on the federal scene has dynamically changed the tone and temperment of those who previously discouraged the use of social media tools. Here’s some interesting links to what’s happening:
How the White House is Using Web 2.0 Technologies So Far
Six New Media Challenges: Legal and Policy Considerations
What the White House Does
- The President will sample a small number of e-mails that are received
- Setup a voting system to assess what are people most interested in
- Encouraged to experiment and try a lot of things
The Challenges of the White House
- Get thousands of emails and comments
- Getting clearance – How do you respond to what’s said?
- How do you use free services hosted by someone else? Facebook, YouTube, Twitter.
- Conditional use approach – rules in place on how to use the software
- Privacy, terms of use and access for the disabled (Section 508 of Disabilities Act)
- Should federal employees being able to use Web 2.0 technology – like Facebook or Twitter at work?
- There’s rich media and interactivity that comes with these technologies
- As we get experience, we need to set policies that works for everyone
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