Comments on: A Letter to White House Director of New Media Macon Phillips

By: Digital democracy courses - wiki style « Engage Away

Digital democracy courses - wiki style « Engage Away — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:30:29 +0000

[...] While you have to request permission from the University to edit the content (which I have done successfully) I think that this is a HUGE step towards open and transparent collaboration. What I like about Tufts’ approach is that it is using the tool for the right reason. Yep, you got it – COLLABORATION and ENGAGEMENT. Too many organisations, companies, agencies and government departments use social media as a broadcast channel. Even the Obama campaign, to some degree, is guilty of this. Ari (social media analyst and blogger) also agrees. [...]

By: Rather not say

Rather not say — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 02:10:48 +0000

Much of your writing is pedantic or annoyingly glib. But I read regularly.

By: Jillian C. York

Jillian C. York — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 06:14:48 +0000

Hey Ari, I mostly agree with you (though not with Don Reisinger or Jay Rosen!) on this; the President's team has the resources to implement the majority of those bullet points. Beyond that, however, I think it's worth noting the newness of social media and the potential uses of and ramifications of using social media at such a high level of government. This really is the first administration to enter the White House with such a unique Internet landscape in front of them, and I think it's worth being patient. Not everyone gets social media the way you do. -Jillian Jillian C. York´s last blog post..Hope

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:43:19 +0000

Interesting synthesis, Ari.

I think there are many complications to this debate, so good to see some conversations.

The current crisis in the media industry is but one of them. Is it good for democracy to have unvetted transparency? If so, what does that look like? Is the 4th estate still valid? Do we need filters and expertise and ethical standards that are governed by institutions and organizations in the dissemenation of news and information? All of these questions and many more all play into the debate that is couched here in terms of social media. It think it is much, much larger that that. Merely from a community management perspective, how would that be managed? What would it look like? What would it change? I hope that these questions are being addressed so that suggestions like you cite may be able to come.

That said, I think it’s a little early to judge the Obama team on all this because running a government is a lot different than running a campaign.

There are a lot of other issues regarding more direct forms of government transparency, such as FOIA. Interesting opinion piece on that from NPR below:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99758429

At least we are seeing change come, slowly though it may.

Tiffany´s last blog post..One thing.

By: Ari Herzog

Ari Herzog — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:10:57 +0000

Aaron: At no point did I state I was an expert. Nor did I mention the other bloggers are experts. What gave you that impression? I can't speak for anyone else, but I understand how government works. If you scroll to my LinkedIn profile, you can read more about my three years in state and local government. That doesn't make me an expert either, but I know what I'm talking about.

By: somed (Rolf Luehrs)

somed (Rolf Luehrs) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:01:07 +0000

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Ari Herzog: A Letter to White House Director of New Media Macon Phillips

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By: Aaron Brazell

Aaron Brazell — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:53:15 +0000

How are you or any of these people you have linked experts? Seriously. Do you or any of these people understand how government works. Please read my post on this: http://technosailor.com/2009/01/23/if-youre-a-government-20-guru-you-have-no-business-in-government-20/

Aaron Brazell´s last blog post..WordPress Plugin Pack: Real Estate