Public Politician Profiles on Facebook and the gap of ‘Authenticity’

- Initial Evaluation Results of the EU Project Where eGovernment meets the eSociety -

Timo Wandhoefer & Mark ThammGESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences

IFIP e-government conference 2011, EGOV2011, Delft

August 28 – September 2, 2011

Background

WeGov - Where eGovernment meets the eSociety• Research project for developing a toolbox

-> Enriching the online dialogue of citizens and politics on the web

• SEVENTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME THEME ICT 2009.7.3 ICT for Governance and Policy Modelling

• 4 technical and 3 use case partner• Month 20/30

Graphical Outline

WeGov Approach

Nuclear phase-out

Climate friendly

Bridging-technology

Status-Quo

• Use cases for citizen<=>politics dialogue [1]• Legal and ethical analysis [2]• Basic functionality extracted [3]• First prototype running a basic scenario [4]• Discussion at German Parliament [5]• Scenario modification – ‘citations’ [6]• Initial toolbox evaluation

Semi-Structured Interview20-30 minutes...

Information behaviour• Patterns to adopt for analysis tools? Press work? Public relations?

Social Networking Sites vs. eParticipation platforms• Different kinds of approaches, eParticipation, open government

Scenario „Testing one Statement“• Post statement on Facebook• Monitor feedback

Use of Social Networking Sites

Scenario „Quick Questionnaire“

16 Interview Participants

German Parliamentary Party (1 office)

Federal Parliament Germany (1 MP)

German Parliament (11 MP offices)

EU Parliament (3 MPs)

By WeGov partner Gov2u

Interview Results- WeGov initial Toolbox -

Information Behaviour

Information service Bundestag (-> Platform press)• Topic extraction -> abstract-> full text• Individual search profile

Scientific services (-> Platform science)• Expert search

Social Networking Sites (-> Platform social media)• Searching manually & non-systematic

– Example: Maintain Facebook page / profiles, Find special interest groups, Tweet opponent…

Social Networking Sites vs. eParticipation Platforms

Prospects• ‘Image of the society’ => Starting a dialogue• Making politics ‘where people are’Þ eParticipation via

- PRO: Social Networking Sites (WeGov)- CON: Platforms (e.g. www.abgeordnetenwatch.de)

Challenges• Less comments on ‘non polarising’ statements• The more politically the content the more comments are from experts• Less control over content / Image of the own person• ‘Authenticity’ of the online profile (identity/intention)

Use of Social Networking Sites

‘Experts’ – Identify journalists

Example: Search for journalists on business platforms (XING / LinkedIn) -> checking their opinion on Facebook

Public relations

Example: Press release -> fan page -> search group / person to post

Political opponent („find one intercessor“)

Example: Who tweets pro opponent? -> gathering follower -> checking their opinion on Facebook

Use of Social Networking Sites

Locally restriction on topics & people

Example: Find important groups / topics / ‘local heroes’ within the politician’s constituency

Testing one particular statement• Follow-up of public clash on Social Networking Sites• Fear of uncontrollable opinion mining process on the own

page => not controversy

Example: Abrogation of compulsory military service is a claim of the FDP party

What Politicians know / assume why Citizens do not participate

• Dialogue is with MP’s employee• Politicians do not reply on citizens’ posts• Politics are ‘far away’ from citizens’ way of

thinking

-> Politicians have a strong awareness on authenticity issues and make it a serious issue for their everyday job

Best Practice – ‘Ice-breaker’ for starting a two-way dialogue

• Example Tweet of German MP– „Going to meet the families minister – what

should I ask?“

Best Practice – ‘Ice-breaker’ for starting a two-way dialogue

• Facebook ask: quick questionnaire– “What is your opinion on a Facebook profile

with expiration date?”

http://goo.gl/RK0LD

Best Practice – Profile -> Page

http://goo.gl/RXzTT http://goo.gl/jNOvQ

“My friends! I am very sorry, there is no space for more

friends… Please get interlinked with my profile

throughout the like button.”

Best Practice – Author Annotation

http://twitter.com/#!/Halina_Waw

Conclusions (Interviewees)

• All MPs using social media• Some are ‘experts’• Interlinking as ‘friend’ is stronger than ‘like’• Types of dissemination are well known• Awareness how to start (none) dialogue

– Polarising statements start a dialogue– Press releases quit a dialogue

Visions Web2.0

„Politician 2.0 up close and personal with short track to the citizen“

A fresh inside into opinion mining

“An unobserved look-out”

References[1] M. Addis, S. Taylor, R. Fletcher, C. Wilson, F. Fallon, H. Alani, T. Wandhoefer, und P. Mutschke, “New ways for

policy makers to interact with citizens through open social network sites - a report on initial results,” Internet, Politics, Policy 2010: an impact assessment (IPP2010), 16-17 September 2010, Oxford, UK. URL: http://goo.gl/4Pqsf

[2] S. Joshi, E. Karamagioli, T. Wandhoefer, F. Fallon, R. Fletcher, C. Wilson, und B.I. Nasser, D5.1 Scenario definition, advisory board and legal/ethical review. URL: http://goo.gl/8H41r

[3] Wandhoefer, Timo; Thamm, Mark; Mutschke, Peter (2011): Extracting a basic use case to let policy makers interact with citizens on Social Networking Sites: a report on initial results. In: Parycek, Peter; Kripp, Manuel J.; Edelmann, Noella (Hrsg.): CeDEM11 : proceedings of the international conference on e-democracy and open government ; 5-6 May 2011, Danube University Krems, Austria, Krems: Ed. Donau-Univ. Krems, S. 355-358. URL: http://goo.gl/0FssB

[4] A. Claes, S. Sizov, S. Angeletou, J. Reynolds, S. Taylor, und T. Wandhoefer, D4.2 Initial WeGov toolbox, 2010. URL: http://goo.gl/22oGi

[5] Wandhoefer, Timo; Thamm, Mark (2011): WeGov Projektvorstellung und Live Demo des Prototypen. Diskussion aktueller Anwendungsfälle. Deutscher Bundestag, Berlin, 31.03.2011. URL: http://goo.gl/7fKCb

[6] Joshi, Wandhoefer, Thamm, Mathiak, Van Eeckhaute, „Rethinking Governance via Social Networking: The case of direct vs. indirect stakeholder injection“, International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV2011), 26-28 September 2011, Tallinn, Estonia. URL: coming soon...