U.K. Government Jumping on Social Media Bandwagon

If you think social media is just for companies, think again. The U.K. government is setting up a task force to focus on improving communication through social media. The Power of Information Task Force will be chaired by Richard Allan, a prominent U.K. political blogger.

Cabinet Office Minister Tom Watson had the following to say about the task force:

"There are new opportunities for Government to engage with people in the online world. Every day, hundreds and thousands of people come together online to solve problems and exchange ideas on public policy issues %u2013 whether raising kids, tackling debt or seeking health advice."

The U.K. isn't the first government to engage the public through social media. Last month, I reported on New Zealand using a wiki to get advice from the public. The experiment was so successful that the team running the consultation have fielded calls from the U.S., England, Germany and Japan.