Re-reading The Cluetrain Manifesto reinforced belief in open, conversational government.

• After President Obama’s Transparency and Open Government memo:

  • Agencies increasingly ask about social media.

  • Focus areas: transparency, participation, collaboration.

• Increased interest brought:

  • Opportunistic “gurus”

  • Genuine collaboration between government staff and contractors.

🏛 20 Key Theses for Government 2.0

1️⃣ Social Media Is Necessary

• The risks of not using social media outweigh the risks of using it.

• No agency is too unique or too sensitive to participate.

• Government challenges are not fundamentally different from others’.

2️⃣ Expect Resistance & Misalignment

• Skeptics may hope transparency exposes weaknesses.

• Some supporters will have selfish motives (career, money, visibility).

• These misaligned advocates can be more harmful than skeptics.

3️⃣ Rethink Assumptions About People

• Younger employees are not automatically social media experts.

• Passionate users likely already exist inside your organization — find them.

• Social media success depends on individuals, not titles or departments.

4️⃣ Accept Mistakes & Adapt

• Mistakes are inevitable.

• Stop trying to eliminate all risk.

• Focus instead on how to respond and recover.

• Security concerns are real — take them seriously.

• Policies are changeable with persistence and justification.

5️⃣ Balance Humility & Confidence

• Be humble — you don’t know everything.

• Be confident — don’t back down when challenged.

• Seek out and learn from existing government social media champions.

6️⃣ Social Media Is About Principles, Not Tools

• Government 2.0 is not new — social media just amplifies it.

• It’s not about the technology itself.

• It’s about:

  • Participation

  • Transparency

  • Collaboration

• Tools will change; principles will not.

7️⃣ Change How You Engage

• Don’t “market” social media with presentations — have conversations.

• Assume employees are responsible and care about their work.

• Leaders should communicate directly with employees.

• Transparency applies to the process, not just the outcome.

• Encourage open debate and diverse perspectives.

8️⃣ Listening Isn’t Enough

• Allowing feedback isn’t sufficient.

• Engage with criticism.

• Be willing to adjust outdated policies.

• Care about what the public says — not just collect it.

🎯 Final Message

• Social media enables voice, innovation, and collaboration in government.

• Government 2.0 is about embracing openness as a way of operating.

• The choice is simple:

  • Embrace the shift toward transparency and participation,

  • Or be left behind by it.

• *thanks to Rick Levine, Christopher Locke, Doc Searls, and David Weinberger for inspiring this post with their book, the Cluetrain Manifesto.