Use of Social Media

A report to Committee of the Whole last week regarding the proposed use of social media by the City has sparked a few comments from citizens. Although the number of comments aren't significant, it does indicate that some members of the community have reservations about the City moving in this 'electronic' direction. Ironically, some of the comments were received by 'electronic' mail.



It is important to note that the City is not abandoning the traditional methods of communicating with constituents such as newspaper ads/articles, public meetings, newsletters, radio, etc. These are all important tools to reach various segments of our population. However, various levels of government, including municipalities are recognizing the importance of social media in reaching a segment of the population that we may not normally engage. And unlike many of our conventional methods of communication, social media provides an opportunity for timely feedback from citizens.



Personally, I am not a regular user of Facebook, Twitter or other electronic networking sites and have my own opinions with respect to the overall benefits of social media to society. With that said, I do understand that social media has become an integral part of our culture and we need to keep pace with our citizens and their communication preferences, thus my CAO blog.



The creation of a social media policy for the City ensures that as we embrace these relatively new forms of communication, that they are used effectively and appropriately.