There's an interesting conversation going on at GovLoop about whether it's OK for an agency's official Twitter account to follow the personal Twitter accounts of its employees. Some private sector companies follow their own employees' accounts, which can help promote the idea of being more transparent and open. But it also could raise some concern for employee privacy as well as an agency's public affairs strategy.
I've written some on the importance of providing training and guidance to employees on social media, specifically when it comes to blurring their personal and professional life online. But I hadn't thought about this aspect of it. Does your agency have a policy in place detailing whether it will follow your Twitter, Facebook or other online accounts? If not, should there be such a policy?
Brittany Ballenstedt
Brittany Ballenstedt writes Nextgov's Wired Workplace blog, which delves into the issues facing employees who work in the federal information technology sector. Before joining Nextgov, Brittany covered federal pay and benefits issues as a staff correspondent for Government Executive and served as an associate editor for National Journal's Technology Daily. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Mansfield University and originally hails from Pennsylvania. She currently lives near Travis Air Force Base, Calif., where her husband is stationed.
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