Officials balancing web debates

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Government officials are being encouraged to access social networking websites in order to ensure any discussions on public services among citizens are balanced by an authoritative view from inside Whitehall. Dean Carroll reports.

Press officers at various departments have already attended training programmes run by the Central Office of Information (COI). The success of the scheme means other civil servants will now be educated on how best to reconnect with the public through online forums.

Director of transformational strategy at the COI Alex Butler told Public Servant Daily that entering into blog conversations and engaging with third-party websites like NetMums, which has 250,000 subscribers, should be "part and parcel of professional life for staff".

"There should be continuing dialogue with the people being served – we are now embarking on a year of awareness raising across the public sector as we want to spread the message," said Butler.

Statistics from the COI revealed that 73 per cent of people with online access had visited a blog website. HM Revenue & Customs is now considering devoting the time of some economic government advisers to answering questions on independent financial websites. Meanwhile, the seemingly private social networking website of a serviceman has proved to be one of the biggest boosts to the RAF's recruitment drive.

"We just supplied him with the raw hardware – a camera and a web platform; it is popular and low cost," explained Butler.

"We have to enable self-help among the public, it's economically beneficial. The way we talk to citizens has been a one-way thing up to now. Social networking helps people make the most of public services. Just because it happens online does not mean government can ignore it. It can be a powerful tool."

On the popular university-focused website The Student Room, Butler said government workers had the opportunity "to influence students in their own environment, where they trust the advice of their own peers".

But she did make it clear that during any online interaction, Whitehall staff would need to make their identities known.