Social Media and Information & Communications Technology (ICT)

The Procurement of Government Public Information

An Executive Summary

By E. Rey Garcia, MPA Candidate

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV)

College of Liberal Arts

Public Affairs & Security Studies

Master of Public Administration

Original Publish Date: September 6, 2015Revision Two: September 24, 2015

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An Executive Summary on Government

Social Media and Information & Communications Technology (ICT)

The Procurement of Government Public Information

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By E. Rey Garcia, MPA Candidate

Original Publish Date: September 6, 2015Revision Two: September 24, 2015

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The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV)

Public Affairs & Security Studies

Master of Public Administration

PAFF 6315: Management of Government Information Technology

Practitioner Lecturer: John R. Milford

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Social Media and Information & Communications Technology (ICT) 4

An Executive Summary on GovernmentSocial Media & Information & Communications Technology (ICT)

by E. Rey Garcia, MPA Candidate

The use of social media and Information & Communications Technology (ICT) for the

procurement of government public information.

Social Media Technologies: Social Media is defined by Oxford Dictionaries as “Websites and

applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.”

Commonly used social media for the procurement of government data can range from, but not

limited to, the following:

Facebook for Government – This social media site allows for collaboration via public

postings, replies, comments, and likes. On May 2015, GovLoop and Facebook

collectively harnessed their abilities to help governments strategize and educate on best

practices to deliver public information and to better engage with their constituents;

therefore, aligning the needs and goals of the organization with those of the public.

Twitter – A microblogging site used to broadcast instantaneous messages directly and

immediately to the smart devices of its followers. An effective tool during emergencies.

YouTube – The largest video sharing website. Often used for video broadcasting

information to its followers. Some governments even use YouTube to broadcast city

council meetings.

Issuu – An online digital publishing platform that allows for the distributing of large

documents such as magazines, catalogs, newspapers, and books. Governments who use

Issuu, publish large documents as budgets, Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports

(CAFRs), auditor reports, policies, and other public documents.

Social Media and Information & Communications Technology (ICT) 5

LinkedIn – A professional social networking website designed for business and is used

by both private and public sectors. This social network is used for networking, job

posting and seeking, online resumes, and research on organizational profiles.

Governments and Human Resource departments often use it as a means of recruiting

qualified candidates for professional positions.

Information & Communications Technologies (ICTs): Information and Communications

Technology or Technologies (ICTs) is defined by Rouse, M. as “an umbrella term that includes

any communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television, cellular phones,

computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and so on, as well as the various

services and applications associated with them, such as videoconferencing and distance

learning.” Government Information Technology departments use ICTs to deliver public

information directly to users’ smart devices via a network of social media, mobile web, texting,

email, blogging, apps, etc.

In Conclusion, governments who follow the Project Open Data guidelines issued by President

Barack Obama on May 2013, via the Open Data Policy and Executive Order, aim at ensuring

that data released by the government is accessible and as useful as possible. Open Government

ensures public trust and establishes a system of transparency, public participation, and

collaboration. Openness strengthens democracy and promotes the efficiency and effectiveness of

our government. Governments who establish transparency and social media policies and follow

best practices for delivering data, use social media as a means of citizen engagement and the

flow of public information to the community, such as events, agendas, minutes, public meetings,

and workshops, financial reports, budget(s), audits, and emergency management (mitigation,

preparedness, response, and recovery). To achieve total transparency, governments use ICTs to

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deliver information to the community. This can range from, but not limited, securely encrypted

data via fiber network(s), servers, routers, computers, cloud computing, mobile web and apps, all

delivering real-time information to users’ smart devices.

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References

Andrews, C. (2015, May 6). The Government's Guide to Using Facebook. Retrieved September 6, 2015, from https://www.govloop.com/resources/the-governments-guide-to-using-facebook/

Obama, B. (n.d.). Transparency and Open Government. Retrieved September 6, 2015, from https://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/TransparencyandOpenGovernment

Oxford Online Dictionaries. Social Media. (n.d.). Retrieved September 6, 2015, from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/social-media

Park, T., & Vanroekel, S. (2013, May 16). Introducing: Project Open Data. Retrieved September 6, 2015, from https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/05/16/introducing-project-open-data

Rouse, M. (n.d.). What is ICT (Information and Communications Technology - or Technologies)? - Definition from WhatIs.com. Retrieved August 30, 2015, from http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/ICT-information-and-communications-technology-or-technologies