Poll: Public skeptical about government progress within social media

Social networking sites are winning popularity contests both inside the government and out. It's almost like a brush fire in the woods, as it spreads into all sorts of venues. But Paul Chaney, author of The Digital Handshake, asked a poll question recently on Smartblog.com about whether social networking can improve the government's dealing with the public.

People answering the poll question were given four answers to choose from, and the resulting numbers reveal a giant vein of skepticism about the government's progress.

> 47 percent said government officials wouldn't understand the meaning of the term "transparency" if it hit them in the face.

> 32 percent said government is definitely in a catch-up mode when it comes to social media.

> 15 percent said the government is doing a good job of using social media on par with the private sector.

"It's pretty clear that most SmartBrief on Social Media readers feel the White House hasn't been able to fulfill its lofty goals of providing more transparency through technology," Clancey said.

For more on the federal government and social media:
- see this OhMyGov article

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