We've already written about several city governments' technology-enabled efforts to keep in touch with citizens, including Love Lewisham, Derby Kidz Talk and Neighbourhood Fix-It. Such web-, MMS- and 311-based efforts may have since become more common, but San Francisco is the first city we've seen to accept citizen complaints and reports via Twitter.
Early this month San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom announced that San Francisco residents can now send messages to the city government via Twitter by directing them to @SF311. Customer service representatives are available 24/7, 365 days a year, for help with such matters as the need for street cleaning, graffiti removal, potholes, abandoned vehicles and garbage can maintenance. Users simply sign up to follow SF311, which will automatically result in a reciprocal follow connection. Photos and links to illustrate the subjects of complaint are encouraged, and the city also plans to send updates about planned and unplanned local events using the platform. San Francisco is using Twitter business platform CoTweet to track its Twitter-based conversations, according to TechCrunch.
It's good to see governments catching up with the communication preferences of their citizens. More to follow soon, we have no doubt! ;-)
Website: sftwitter.sfgov.org/twitter
Contact: @SF311
Spotted by: TechCrunch
