“The Facebook for Government”
As public affairs officials determine how government agencies should use social networking sites to communicate with the public, the rest of the governments employees are busy communicating on their own site, Govloop.
Govloop was developed by former DHS IT Specialist Steve Ressler and is often described as “The Facebook for Government.” It was designed to give government employees, government contractors, students, and those who are simply interested in the government a forum to share ideas and information.
In logging into Govloop, it does resemble most of the other social networking sites out there. Each member has a profile and can join groups, send messages, update their status, and add friends. Where Govloop differs however, is in the content. The conversation and blogs posted on Govloop truly do stick to current topics and issues within government. Sections dedicated to upcoming events and job openings also provide a forum for members to share valuable information to one another.
One reason the conversation has remained focused on topics such as (links for Govloop members) teleworking , enabling collaboration , and diversity is due to Ressler’s explicit statements on Govloop etiquette. He explains that members shouldn’t overly promote their company, service, or event, and that open debates are encouraged but says not to “excessively criticize any idea or person.”
With around 20,000 members, Govloop has proved to be so successful that NIH is now funding a forum aimed at becoming “The Facebook for scientists.”
By: Jameson Strotman, Allied Media Corp
jameson@allied-media.com
