Government and Social media

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http//socialappshq.com/
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Government and Social media

• Social media has always been given a sceptical
  view by the governments all across the world. The
  ruling body of any country enjoys endless powers.
  It is the law making and policy deciding body
  that affects all the citizens of that particular
  country to a varied extent. As such, the social
  media becomes one of the appropriate platforms
  for the common man to discuss these policies and
  showcase their opinions and thoughts to one
  another. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter have
  been like a weapon used by the citizens at times
  against the government and at times in support of
  them.

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For instance, the highly hyped occurrence of
December 2012 saw the active use of the social
media domain. Nirbhaya was trending on Twitter
and the issue of women safety was the most talked
about topic on Facebook. Google India too showed
its concern on Google Plus and the entire country
was awakened to the happening via the
effectiveness of these platforms.

• On the contrary, the political bodies have also
  been trying to use this domain to its full
  potential. Be it election campaigns or the
  regular public relation stunts, every politician
  now maintains a Facebook fan page and a Twitter
  account in order to engage with their voters and
  try swaying them towards themselves. Also, these
  new technologies are working in favour of them.
  Concepts like Social Media Monitoring have
  enabled these political leaders to be easily
  aware of what is being talked about them and
  their party and what needs to be modified,
  changed or eradicated.

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It will not be wrong to say that social media has
reached to new levels and influenced the
governance of a country in the past. The
Government has also realised this strength and
many a times witnessed its power

• Many governmental authorities too have tried
  their hand at using the platform for the
  betterment of the people as a whole. In an effort
  to enlist citizens help in identifying specific
  places where roads can be improved, Bengalurus
  municipal corporation initiated a campaign
  encouraging citizens to take a picture or video
  of the pot-holes they spot, and upload it to the
  corporations website, and the corporation would
  see that they are addressed. Now this is a
  positive step and this social media campaign saw
  a lot of uploads as well but then it is an
  overwhelming task to keep up with all the
  information and responses that pour in.

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The above stated example clearly showcases the
love of the Bangalore government towards the
social media and their will in using it as an
opportunity to engage the citizens. Meanwhile
statements from government entities that promote
regulation of social media, a ban on the social
networking sites clearly state that the
government is into a love and hate relationship
with the medium. When there is an uprising
against the politicians or the government as a
whole, the social media becomes a taboo for them
which should then be banned

• These examples and incidents  highlight how
  government agencies are trying to use the web and
  social networks to engage meaningfully with
  citizens but are struggling with this objective.
  How strongly they are being affected when a
  citizen raises his voice and how well the common
  man can be stirred together by this one platform
  is to be pondered upon

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