Politics & Twitter In Social Gatherings

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Typically, we've been told to avoid discussing politics and religion in social gatherings or with new acquaintances. Yet, we liberally (pun intended) identify our political views on Facebook and follow and re-tweet political leaders on Twitter.

The marriage of social media and politics is on the rise as political leaders are increasingly embracing these digital communication methods to connect with their constituents and with the world.

With access to the Internet and the click of a button, anyone from anywhere in the world can speak their mind (in 140 characters or less) to several political leaders and governments.

Before the creation of Twitter, we used to send handwritten letters or typed e-mails to politicians hoping to voice our opinion and possibly influence their votes. Sometimes, we'd received a pre-written letter from that politician's office that would thank us for our letter and being a good citizen, giving us false hope that we somehow made a difference in the world.

Now, with a simple @-reply, we can send an instant message directly to a politician for all of Twitterverse to read. Are the politicians really the ones reading and responding to our tweets? In some cases, yes; in other cases, sometimes or never. This is an entirely separate conversation that reverts back to my previous post about authenticity and transparency.

Recently, I came across a fascinating study by Digital Daya. The study claims that "15 percent of the world's 163 countries are now represented by their political leaders or governments on Twitter."

In response to the high volume of "virtual" demonstrations against his leadership in Venezuela, Cha¡vez alleged that tweeting could be a tool of terrorism. At one point, he was so upset with his lack of control over the Internet that he threatened to restrict the use of the Internet in Venezuela, according to an article in The Guardian.

Two months ago, however, Cha¡vez signed up for his own Twitter account (@chavezcandanga). With more than half a million followers, he now views Twitter as "a weapon that also needs to be used by the revolution." His Twitter handle includes the Spanish phrase, "candanga," which translates to daring or rebellious.

Last month, Cha¡vez called upon his followers to use social media to defeat his opponents and to reverse his opponents' political momentum. He has warmed up to Twitter so much that he has encouraged Bolivian President Evo Morales and Cuban leader Fidel Castro to tweet.

Chávez recently hired 200 people to help him maintain his Twitter account and reply to tweets. But, Obama doesn't personally update his account either. He's employed about 100 people to assist with his social media presence.

What other politicians can be found on Twitter? Queen Rania of Jordan, Chilean President Sebastia¡n Pia±era and several of his cabinet members, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, several Japanese politicians and more.

So, there you go, Twitter is a popular and practical political medium across the globe. More beneficial to the politician who can control information than to the constituent, in my opinion, but it's another form of communicating nonetheless.

Twitter allows politicians to increase their visibility, reinforce their messages, monitor their opposition, make up for poor coverage in the mainstream media and/or complement positive coverage in the mainstream media. On the flip side, Twitter also presents another platform for audiences to engage and participate in activism, both positive and negative.

Which political leaders do you believe are worth following? Which politician(s) do you follow on Twitter and why? Do you think your tweets can make a difference?

I am a strong believer that the true impact of a tweet or a person's presence on Twitter is determined by authenticity. The same best practices for companies apply to governments and politicians. #beauthentic