The swearing-in of new senators and representatives? The reading of the Constitution on the House floor? All the formal flourishes of democracy, for sure, but what’s the real sign that change has come to Washington in this 21st century world? New Twitter handles for our nation’s leaders. Here’s your complete guide to the #112Congress.
First it was Twitter, then widgets, then Android and the iPhone, Facebook apps, and now Firesheep. Against the drumbeat of almost daily reports of new online privacy breaches, the federal government has done what it does best: create a committee.
You wouldn’t know it by looking at the average teenager’s wall on Facebook, but teens are just as concerned as their parents when it comes to online privacy, a new poll has found. 79 percent of teens believe their friends share too much information online, and a majority want social networking sites required to get users to ‘opt-in’ before using their personal information. But parents haven’t stopped worrying about their kids’ safety either.
Welcome back Congress, recess is over! With just weeks to go before the November midterms that could send many of them home, lawmakers return to Washington this week for the September work period: four weeks of writing and trying to pass bills quickly so they can get back on the campaign trail.
But first, it’s a packed agenda. Lawmakers will have to make decisions on tax cuts, spending bills and federal stimulus projects before they can return home. Left unclear is where, with partisan tensions high, other issues, like net neutrality and privacy, will fall in line. We take a look ahead at the top social media issues awaiting Congress’s return…
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National Journal, a site for nonpartisan reporting on current politics, has teamed with New Media Strategies and JESS3 in order to provide an exclusive networking community for members of congress and their staff. This secure portion of the National Journal site will be for work purposes, communication and collaborative efforts between congressional members and staff.
The new network is called 3121, and it’s aiming to make life “easier” for the sie members. You’ll need to submit a request in order to access the site, though a public blog is available as a basic resource within the National Journal site. 3121 is actually in beta, so there is likely to be a lot of experimentation and ongoing improvements to this network, as it is among the first to be a professional networking tool created specifically for members of congress.
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