Government Agencies Use Twitter to Reach Citizens

By Amanda Ruggeri, Washington Whispers

Federal agencies may not be particularly well known for their use of cutting-edge technology, but these days, even the feds are twittering. More than 50 agencies tweet on Twitter, the social networking platform that received acclaim for its role during the election protests in Iran. The latest agency to hop on board? The Government Accountability Office, which today announced that people can use Twitter to automatically receive notices whenever the GAO releases reports, testimony, or legal products. The GAO has also started posting videos—including a recruitment video—on YouTube. "While we've made extensive use of the Internet for some time, posting material on YouTube and Twitter offers new possibilities to inform people about our efforts," says GAO boss Gene Dodaro.

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