It's always baffled me why governments and government agencies, the institutions that are meant to lead us and guide us, are always so far behind the curve when it comes to implementing social technology. Now, I'm not going to try and push any political agenda with this article, but I suppose I should just point out I'm usually surprised and scared of any person in a public political office that doesn't understand Twitter, Facebook, or blogging.
The thing that stops me tweeting my lament into despair at this point is that it's clear our governments want to embrace social media, they just need some guidance from the people below.
I was overjoyed a few months ago to hear the NSW Government had begun an initiative to push towards what American policy makers would call "Open Government" - creating a digital environment that is characterised by transparency, citizen participation, and collaboration.
A wonderful example of this is the State of Delaware (check out their website HERE). Their transition from treating government websites as a policy-preaching soapbox and converting it into a digital round table for conversation is a positive step in the right direction. Facebook, Twitter, RSS, YouTube... all the big players are there, ready to be consumed, shared and conversed about.
For me, this is the role of government embodied in a digital space and has implications and applications that are tangible, imminent, and indicate a paradigm shift for the way our local, state, and federal governments can connect with their voters using the internet.
The speed and spread of information possible today is invaluable to governments and residents alike. Beyond gimmick benefits like alerts on your mobile for when the Premier is in your suburb or an email when new health announcements are made, the power of clear and communal comment/feedback loops on government policy can only allow for better decision making and a more informed and engaged voting public.
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