Twitter is the way of life in this small Spanish town Jun (pronounced hoon). With the population of barely 3500 people, Jun has successfully used social media platform – Twitter to spread everything related to news, jobs, events, developments and school dinner menus as well! While the local administration uses Twitter to connect with the people and improve public services, the residents use Twitter to communicate directly with the local government officials regarding complaints, appointments, grievances, reporting of crimes and so on.
In 2011, Mr. Rodríguez Salas, the mayor of the Spanish town Jun asked all his officials to open accounts on Twitter to report daily activities. The idea was to bring in transparency and accountability in Jun’s administration. The reason why Mrs. Salas chose Twitter over other social media platforms was, Twitter allowed quicker interactions. This small town is leading an example on how social media could be better used for public welfare purposes as well than establishing mere social connections.
Jun does not receive any money from Twitter for using this service. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with funding from Twitter, has analyzed how the residents have been benefited with the use of Twitter. Dick Costolo, Twitter’s chief executive until 2015, visited Jun last summer and left his hand print in the cement below an obelisk with the Twitter’s logo above it.
This is the dawn of digital democracy where people interact online with the local officials on a day-to-day basis and join hands with the administration in improving the government activities.
Image Credit: The New York Times
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