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President Obama’s use of new media to gain support and raise funds while on the campaign trail, leveraging social media meccas such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, earned him big points with Web 2.0 advocates, but since his presidency began, bringing similar technologies to the federal government has produced a age-old set of challenges. While social media and collaborative technology initiatives are making headway, legal and policy issues currently in place are creating speed-bumps on the road to Whitehouse 2.0.

 

1. Privacy issues such as the use of persistent cookies on federal websites.

 

2. Access for the disabled including usability for the visually and hearing impaired is required by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act for all federal websites; many Web 2.0 applications are not compliant.

 

3. Commercial endorsements and advertising are prohibited on government websites. Using one social media service over another may be seen as an endorsement, especially if a logo is present. Also the possibility of ad-spam with anything Web 2.0 is a concern.

 

4. Terms of service agreements would have to be modified to meet federal regulations. Most website TOS agreements use state law, rather then federal, to regulate legal disputes. Federal employees and agencies are prohibited from agreeing to such terms.

 

5. The Paperwork Reduction Act requires federal agencies to formally request permission through the Office of Management and Budget to collect information from the public. Also agencies are mandated to comply with public record requirements such as the Presidential Records Act.

 

6. Security concerns and Internet use restrictions block federal staff from accessing social media websites and chat services, which is obviously a problem when trying to implement Web 2.0 into government.

 

Source: Center for American Progress