In 2010, Hillary Clinton described social media as a new nervous system for our planet.
Even in the few short years since then, social media has gone from strength to strength. In 2013 every corporation has, or at the very least needs, a social media strategy. And in truth, political parties and our individual Members of Parliament no different.
That’s why I do not have time for parliamentarians who tell me that they have no interest in social media. For me as an MP, I have a duty to be wherever my constituents are and engage with them in whatever medium they choose.
Facebook and Twitter complement my traditional advice surgeries, street stalls, home visits and school tours. They allow me to connect with my constituents and take their pulse on topical national and local issues. Social media keeps me connected with those who elected me and is the nervous system of my local electorate.
At Spring Conference this year, I’ll be hosting a Fringe event sponsored and supported by social media giant Facebook, with a specially invited panel of guests including Rob Blackie from Blue State Digital; former Lib Dem Head of Innovation, Mark Park; former Party Leader and Campaign Chair, Paddy Ashdown; and Facebook’s own Policy Director for the UK & Ireland, Simon Milner.
If you can’t make it along on March 8th at 8:15pm to the Balmoral Room, Hilton Metropole in Brighton, I’d love to hear your thoughts on social media in advance or any questions you would like me to put to our distinguished panel of experts.
Tweet your comments to me at @thomasbrake or send me a private message via my Facebook account www.facebook.com/brake
* Tom Brake was the Liberal Democrat MP for Carshalton and Wallington from 1997 to 2019.
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3 Comments
My label for Facebook and Twitter, along with GPS and probably a couple more, is the “new utilities”. It concerns me that they are effectively monopoly products in a market which is extremely difficult to enter effectively. On the web the judgement has long been that today’s top dog is tomorrow’s archived memory, but can you really see Facebook diminishing in the foreseeable future?
your link above ( http://www.facebook.com/brake ) doesnt work
For campaigning the minimum should at least be the ability for supporters to “like” the candidate. Similar to a pin-badge in days of old, it is a way of a supporter being “out” as a Lib Dem without having to have a “let’s talk about politics” converstation with their friends and family. Then the list of “likers” can have messages sent to them.