The maturation of digital technologies, the internet, and social networking has proven to be one of the most pervasive influences that impacts how people communicate and manage information in the 21st century. It is not just the twittering teenagers and web-savvy businesses who are embracing next generation "messaging and technology" - one of the "Eight Assets" the Center for 21st Century Communities (21c3) champions on this site. Digital and internet technologies are also providing government with new ways to streamline operations, share information, and communicate with citizens. 

Michigan topped this year's list of “Top Digital States,” according to the 2010 Digital States Survey. The Center for Digital Government’s biannual study “examines best practices, policies and progress made by state governments in their use of digital technologies to better serve their citizens and streamline operations,” covering topics like e-infrastructure and utilizing online applications and Web 2.0., according to their website. Michigan and Utah were the only states to score an “A” grade this year, followed by “A-” recipients Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Michigan ranked high in all of the survey’s eight categories. It is 1st among all other states in the area of “Enterprise ICT (information and communications technology)” and 4th place or higher in all of the other categories - “Adaptive Leadership,” “Public Safety,” “Health and Human Services,” “Commerce, Labor and Tax,” “Finance and Administration,” “Energy and Transportation,” and “Citizen Engagement.”

The Center for Digital Government is a division of e.Republic, a public sector research, publishing, and events company. Registration is free to access numerous reports and resources on best e-practices and using digital technology for state and local governance. 

Jennifer Eberbach is a professional journalist and writer. Find contact information on her website www.jenthewriter.info.

The popularity of social networking tools like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn continues to be on the rise across sectors of business and society, including government. However, there seems to be a certain degree of reluctance among some government agencies and municipalities to fully jump on the proverbial 2.0. band-width-wagon. Government Technology staff writer Russell Nichols points out that NetProspex recently ranked the government services industry behind funeral homes and services in terms of how much different business sectors use social media, in his recent article. NetProspex's chief revenue officer Michael Bird thinks; "Social media is hard for the government to get its arms around," according to the article. "It's transparent and it's out there and in the early stages, a few people tend to do some crazy things," Nicols quotes Bird.

At the same time, more and more government agencies and municipalities are exploring the advantages of Web 2.0. messaging and techology (one of the Center for 21st Century Communities (21c3)'s "Eight Assets"). CNN reports how FEMA chief Craig Fugate found Twitter helpful after a gas explosion in San Bruno, California. An article posted on Project Virginia's website reports how some "Michigan Municipalities Use Social Media to Communicate," from using Nixle to announce emergencies, fires, and traffic accidents, to examples of how communities broadcast information on Facebook and Twitter. A while back, I wrote an article for the Michigan Municipal League's magazine, The Review, about how Madisonville, Kentucky mayor Will Cox used Facebook as an emergency management tool during a catastrophic ice storm. 

The American Red Cross published "Social Media in Disasters and Emergencies," this August. For example, they found; "About half of respondents [to their online survey] would sign up for emails, text alerts, or applications to receive any of the emergency information [covered by the survey]." Further resources covering best practices and policies related to social media are listed on the Social Media Subcouncil's website.

Jennifer Eberbach is a professional journalist and writer. Find contact information on her website www.jenthewriter.info

I found a lot of interesting articles and blogs about how state, local and federal government officials utilize the internet, social networking, social media, and the latest e-technologies, while perusing www.govtech.com. Contributors to Government Technology’s family of magazines and website hit on a range of ways Web 2.0 is used to network, share information, ensure public safety, and stimulate the economy, as well as how IT relates to transit, green initiatives, and other topics we like to blog about here on The Center for 21st Century Communities (21c3)’s website. 

www.govtech.com articles and blogs cover stories, trends, and accomplishments happening all over the country. You’ll find some articles about Michigan, as well as stories about what is happening in other places. Staff writer Russell Nichols recently reported, “California to Deploy Nation’s First Mass Mobile Alert System,” posted on August 24th, 2010. “The California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) and Sprint announced Tuesday, Aug. 24, plans to deploy the Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS), a public safety tool that uses technology to deliver warnings and safety information via text alerts to wireless phones in specified areas. The first CMAS pilot program will begin in San Diego County this fall, in partnership with the county's Office of Emergency Services (OES),” according to the article. Jim Stanton’s www.digitalcommunitiesblogs.com blog, called “Web 2.0 Convergence” features a recent piece, “The YouTube Revolution is With Us,” posted on June 18. It includes some interesting facts that got me thinking about how governments can take a few lessons from pop culture, when it comes to taking advantage of widely used social media like YouTube.

Jennifer Eberbach is a professional journalist and writer. Find contact information on her website www.jenthewriter.info

The US Department of State Office of eDiplomacy will launch an internal social networking site, Statebook. Public CIO News writer Russell Nichols reported some of the details on April 12, 2010. He reports that “the site will use social media tools on a secure network to help employees and diplomatic officials scattered around the globe to communicate, collaborate and more easily identify experts in specific fields, according to Richard Boly, director of eDiplomacy.” Measures are being taken to ensure cyber-security. With more and more documents and information posted online everyday the argument can be made that a secure network like Statebook is in order. Users will be able to create profiles, share resources and articles, and help each other find “credible experts” to work with, according to Boly.