San Francisco technology startup Twitter has recently become the darling of local politicians. Examples include concerted Tweeter Gavin Newsom and San Francisco's Board of Supervisors.
Does it represent a new era of transparency and community involvement, or is public policy discussion reduced to 140-character bites a bad idea?
This will be a three part series led by Jackson West, mentored by former Chron city hall editor Chuck Finnie, and edited by Eve Batey. It will first appear on SF Appeal and then be made available for others to republish.
We will be seeking interviews (more than 140 character) with Mayoral spokesperson Nate Ballard, Mayor Gavin Newsom, and the first Board of Supervisor member to utilize Twitter, Chris Daly, among others.
The media has become enamored with Twitter like few recent online social services, with regular callouts on major networks and regular press in papers nationwide.
Always chasing publicity and relevance, politicians have jumped on board with gusto.
Lost in the frenzy is critical consideration and cost-benefit analysis. Can politicians point to policy or public notice successes? Are there real savings that can be realized?
