Tag Archives: Social media

Street justice through social media: the new bureaucratic accountability

Posted on July 10, 2013 by lawrence serewicz

The customer service angle to social media complaints are well known. People use Twitter, Facebook and other social media to complain about customer service. They don’t like the product or service so they complain publicly to get somethign done. The process is … Continue reading →

Posted in Government, local government, public sector, transparency, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Prosecution and the art of social media writing: reflections on McAlpine v Bercow

Posted on May 24, 2013 by lawrence serewicz

Today, the High Court ruled that Sally Bercow had defamed Lord McAlpine through a tweet, which could be understand to accuse him of sexually abusing boys in care. It follows that, for these reasons, I find that the Tweet meant, … Continue reading →

Posted in censorship, good writing, privacy, transparency, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What is the university in an age of social media?

Posted on February 12, 2013 by lawrence serewicz

Clay Shirky has posted an intriguing article on the future of the university in the social media age.  He argues that social-media technology, in particular the MP3 and technology to enable sharing, which has changed the music industry, is changing … Continue reading →

Posted in philosophy, scholarship, statesmanship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Have hypertext and hyperlink been over-hyped? The view from local government.

Posted on August 11, 2012 by lawrence serewicz

    Since the dawn of the social media age, we have been treated to various claims that hypertext and hyperlinks will change the way we work, read, and write.  There were even claims that hyperlinks will subvert hierarchies.  Yet, … Continue reading →

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Who speaks for a political organisation in the age of social media?

Posted on June 12, 2012 by lawrence serewicz

Today the LGiU published a briefing on the two-year study by the Young Foundation (funded by DCLG) called Local 2.0.  The report is well worth a read because it shows what is being done on the ground with social media.  … Continue reading →

Posted in censorship, Government, local government, opportunity cost, transparency | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

FOIA, equality, justice and the future of democracy

Posted on May 7, 2012 by lawrence serewicz

We should not be surprised that powerful people, in particular politicians and political leaders, do not like FOIA.  Aside from the issue of political and public accountability, which raise important democratic principles, the FOIA challenges the political and social hierarchies.  … Continue reading →

Posted in FOIA, Government, public sector, transparency | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Can social media reduce the cost of responding to foi requests?

Posted on April 7, 2012 by lawrence serewicz

In the recent written evidence to the Justice select committee reviewing FOIA in the UK, the “cost” of FOI has been discussed.  Often, the witnesses want to cut this cost by limiting the number of requests. I would argue that … Continue reading →

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The day Freedom of Information died in the United Kingdom

Posted on April 6, 2012 by lawrence serewicz

The 29th of March passed without much notice for most people in the United Kingdom. For freedom of information, it was a watershed day. From this day forward, Freedom of Information will never be the same.  Why?  The First Tier … Continue reading →

Posted in FOIA, Government, transparency | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Social media and the political regime: the rise of republicanism?

Posted on September 19, 2011 by lawrence serewicz

What effect does social media have on the political regime? Are some countries better at adapting social media than others because of their political culture? The argument, in brief, is that the UK’s parliamentary sovereignty creates an institutional limit on … Continue reading →

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