Photo: AP
They're both on Twitter, as I discovered today on the county website. As it turns out, many government entities and officials are using Twitter to update citizens and constituents. President Obama has a Twitter account (he doesn’t update frequently), and government entities and officials at every level, from neighborhood associations to the US Congress, are also tweeting. But if you’re not on Twitter, and you’d prefer to hear from your government in more than 140 characters at a time, Montgomery County has nearly every form of online media covered. Citizens in Montgomery County can keep up with their government by becoming a fan on Facebook, downloading podcasts, and signing up for text and email alerts via Alert Montgomery. There's even a Montgomery County YouTube channel. I love the technology and the easy access to information, but does it make us better informed or less so? After all, a government entity which broadcasts its own news through any media is in sole control of what information is shared and how it’s presented. I’m following the County on Twitter and I’m signed up for Alert Montgomery so that I’ll know when there’s a water main break or a school closure. But I’ll still read the newspaper when I need to know why.
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