Twitter, along with countless other social media websites, is often viewed as a productivity killer. But a small town in Spain has actually been using the platform to improve communication between authorities and the people. In fact, Twitter is so important to the people of Jun that they actually built a monument of the iconic ‘blue bird’ in the town’s square.
Since September 2011, the 3,500-strong community has used Twitter to spread local news, developments, job opportunities, orbituaries, and even school dinner menus! Residents book doctor’s appointments, register consumer complaints, and report crimes through their tweets. Jun’s Mayor, José Antonio Rodriguez Salas, has his own account, with a massive following of over 340,000. Locals can contact the Mayor by tweeting him directly.
All the town’s public services, including the police force, have their own Twitter ACCOUNTS. The force, consisting of only one officer, drives a squad car with ‘@PoliciaJun’ painted on the hood. In fact, the bird logo can be seen everywhere, including the Mayor’s office. Even the guy who sweeps the streets tweets amusing messages, with before and after shots of his handiwork. The town’s elderly aren’t ignored either – there’s a special program in place to teach them how to use the internet and social media.“We’ve broken through the heavy, creaking bureaucracy that has occupied public office in Spain for the past 300 years, with the use of a single bird named Larry,” the social media savvy mayor said. In his book, Theory of Complaining, Salas insists that residents do not participate in the local government because they don’t think their opinions matter.
“The Spanish, and in general people from the Latin world, do not known how to complain effectively,” he explained. “When we have a problem we usually go to the nearest bar and grumble about the mayor or president, but the problem remains. Thanks to Twitter, people can complain directly, which helps us grow as politicians. The employees, whose work was previously not appreciated, now take pride in achieving their tasks. It brings residents closer to the administration at the same time.”
An article in the Huffington Post says that this ‘mutual visibility’ serves as both a carrot and stick: “On one hand, the government’s performance comes under greater public scrutiny. If a broken streetlight isn’t fixed, everyone knows it and the slacking employee is more likely to be disciplined or, if it becomes a pattern, fired. That’s the stick. But the good work done by public servants is also now visible to all and thus more likely to be recognised and rewarded. Carrots can be as small as a message being favourited or retweeted… or as great as winning the esteem of one’s neighbours and new status in the community.”
I think this is a great idea and shows how socail media can be used productively - as long as the city is prepared to listen, monitor, document, and act on complaints, suggestions, etc.
See ya, eh!
Bob
To read the full story, click the following link:
http://www.odditycentral.com/news/the-spanish-town-that-runs-on-twitter-shows-off-the-power-of-social-media.html#more-46215
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