Let’s face it, Facebook is huge. More than 150 million people around the world are now actively using Facebook and almost half of them are using Facebook every day. This includes people in every continent—even Antarctica. Now many government agencies are deploying their own version of this popular social networking site to share information and connect with niche communities.
ExchangesConnect is a social network administered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, US Department of State. The site is geared toward people interested or participating in international exchange and learning more about other cultures. Have you participated in a 
study abroad or student exchange program? Or know someone who has? Imagine being able to connect to those people after returning home. ExchangesConnect aims to help you do that and much more. Recently launched in October 2008, ExchangesConnect already has more than 7600 members and over 60 active groups.
This spring NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center will debut an internal social network for its employees. The site will mimic Facebook and feature individuals’ profiles, expertise and personal interests, said Linda Cureton, chief information officer at Goddard. Spacebook seems to be NASA’s latest foray into social networking after their massive success with the @MarsPhoenix account on Twitter.
A-Space (A is for analyst), dubbed the “social network for spies”, was reportedly launched in September of 2008 as a social network for the intelligence community. The effort is spearheaded by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, or DNI, a post created in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, to coordinate foreign and domestic security. A-Space was developed specifically for prominent intelligence organizations such as the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National Security Agency (NSA) with a total of 16 intelligence agencies participating. The site aims to give spies a chance to interact with their peers and share data like they never have been able to before. A-Space even made Time Magazines list of Best Inventions of 2008. Naturally, the A-Space network will not be open to members of the public and only intelligence employees with the prerequisite level of security clearance will be granted official access.
And of course, you can’t talk about government social networking without mentioning Govloop. It may not be federal agency run but is aimed at federal employees. Govloop was launched by federal employee Steve Ressler in his spare time with the goal of connecting the government community. It’s proving to be a great way for government employees at the local, 
state, and federal levels to collaborate, share ideas, and ask for advice and assistance. Govloop now boasts more than 6000 members, 800 blogs, 300 groups, 250 discussions, 2000 photos. Are you on Govloop? I am.
The US isn’t the only place government is getting in to the social networking game. In late 2008 Transport For London (TfL) - the government owned company running the public transportation system in London - launched a social networking site called Together For London. The purpose is to gather ideas from customers about how to make London a better place. Registered users can create an avatar (called “Little Londoner”), start and participate in discussions, and even set up a campaign.
P.S. I wonder if the Dept. of State employees can even access ExchangesConnect since it is built using Ning, which is blocked by many government agencies. Hmmm…..
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Franklin Delano Roosevelt popularized presidential radio addresses with fireside chats during the depression. Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy participated in the first nationally televised presidential debate in 1960. Following that illustrious history of cutting edge information technology in Washington, Hillary Clinton's State Department has recently entered the twenty-first century by refurbishing the department website, improving its blog and even enabling citizens to "text the Secretary" with questions.
"Digital Diplomacy" is the phrase being used to describe the State Department's mission to use Web 2.0 technology to increase awareness among citizens of foreign countries, and thereby improve attitudes toward the U.S. internationally. The State Department now operates a social networking site called ExchangesConnect where dialogue is encouraged among international users concerning foreign policy. When Hillary Clinton has travelled abroad this year, the traditional press corps bumped elbows with local bloggers from Asia and the Middle East. And this January saw an online debate between then-Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy James K. Glassman and a group of Egyptian bloggers, wherein 200 people participated via the Internet, nearly half of them from the Middle East.
But is online outreach good for diplomacy? Some, like author and Web 2.0 consultant Rob Salkowitz, doubt the ultimate advantages of this approach.
"Diplomacy isn't all about conversation and mutual understanding," said Salkowitz. "Used correctly, it is the method states use to unite their allies and divide their enemies in order to forward their national interests. It is communication with a purpose, and the purpose comes first."
Fair point, but isn't increasing communication in and of itself a purpose? Few would argue the benefit of Hillary Clinton Tweeting about what pant suits she's deciding between that day, but a little transparency into government processes and policies goes a long way. If risk communication has taught us anything, it's that the less communication there exists between two groups, the greater the likelihood distrust will develop.
Clinton is undeniably optimistic on the subject of enhancing the State Department's outreach effort, stating that "we've barely scratched the surface as to what we can use to communicate with people around the world" to the National Journal.
While serious international diplomacy may need to remain primarily face-to-face for the foreseeable future, reaching out across borders digital could yield more positive responses than negative. Foreigners using blogs and Twitter to peer directly into the lives of our top-ranking officials in Washington may develop the same phenomenon that makes us feel like we know the personalities of actors more personally, despite never actually meeting. Would this enable some to toss their far-flung beliefs about Americans' overt consumerism and hubris? Perhaps. And that's enough of a reason to experiment for now.
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