RT @mattlane: Should Public Servants Use Twitter at Work? [link to post] by @TRankQ, the CIO of doc.govt.nz /via @markcubey

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RT @mattlane: Should Public Servants Use Twitter at Work? [link to post] by @TRankQ, the CIO of doc.govt.nz

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I’ve been reading: In Development » Should Public Servants Use Twitter at Work?: as a public servant, surely would… [link to post]

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Yes. Period. RT @markcubey: RT @mattlane: Should Public Servants Use Twitter at Work? [link to post] by @TRankQ, the CIO of doc.govt.nz

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As a rule of thumb, if it should be captured as part of the Public Records Act, then it probably shouldn’t be conducted —certainly initially— on a social site…

In Development » Should Public Servants Use Twitter at Work? [link to post]

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The challenge for captuering the records is mainly a technological one and I would recommend you look at: http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/10_ways_to_archive_your_tweets.php

Contact rkadvice@archives.govt.nz for further advice on Public Records Act considerations.

The UK Government has issued a Twitter Policy template for depts to tailor for their own use: http://www.scribd.com/doc/17313280/Template-Twitter-Strategy-for-Government-Departments

Although I note last week even the US military has relaxed its rules and allows their use, they have put out a (rather rubbish) set of rules for staff see: DOD issues long-awaited social media policy http://fcw.com/Articles/2010/02/26/DOD-issues-new-directive-on-Internet-and-social-media-use.aspx

Any messages posted by the agencies’ employees relating to the functions that these public bodies are fulfilling, OR any public feedback, in theory, must be captured and maintained as records. Considering the fact that the posts are made outside the agencies’ area of responsibility (technology-wise, i.e content is captured within the communications service provider’s architecture), does it make the NZ government agencies free from record-keeping compliance, as far as their use of online communities’ channel is concerned?

If the answer to this is no, then we may be facing a major roadblock to embracing the new communication channel between the public and its representatives in the local bodies. The amount of effort that needs to go into developing tools for capturing posts and messages into the internal records keeping systems can potentially be too big.

Has anyone come across this as a challenge, or does it only seem as one?

Thanks for drawing attention to that guidance, it seems most useful, especially as you say the last four paragraphs of ‘Implementing social media monitoring’. The last point in particular ‘Consider creating organisational policy for social media’ I think is important, as individual organisations are likely to need to deliberate on, and raise awareness with their staff about what is appropriate behaviour in their case. This seems necessary so they can get the value Trudy discusses, but also feel reassured that they know where the boundaries are.

One of the contexts I find interesting is with science organisations, and the ability of scientists to comment on blogs/tweets regards facts (and opinions) on contentious topics such as climate change, GM, or the use of animal toxins. Are they representing their scientific discipline, or their organisation? It can be a balance between timeliness of response, and things being sanctioned through official comms channels.

I also wonder that micro-blogging is different to comments on blogs, in that it can be more ephemeral. Perhaps some specific guidance in those last four paragraphs relating to commenting in micro-blogging might be helpful (protecting your tweets or not, retweeting etc).

I’m curious too as to whether the title ‘Implementing social media monitoring’ is the most useful. It made me think of organisations monitoring their staff use of Facebook/Twitter etc, rather than using social media to monitor what people are saying about your organisation.

All in all though, fantastic that you folks are working on these areas, and encouraging people like Trudy to share their experience.

And as for serendipity, I’m reminded that I bumped into Trudy while out running round Oriental Bay one morning last week, and that sometimes being out and about in Wellington is the best form of ’social media’ there is…