Canadians are now combining politics and Twitter. A new website called TweetCommons, has been launched to connect Canadians with elected government representatives via Twitter.
Facilitating more multi-directional relationships between people and government,TweetCommons is is another important tool in breaking down the walls between governments and the people they represent – and is a perfect example of how social media is enabling the process.
Online participatory media practices like TweetCommons helps produce citizen-powered dialogue that includes, but is not driven by government officials, or the select spokespeople working for big media outlets.
TweetCommons is helpful tool for all Canadians. Besides being an entry point to contact government, it is a pathway for people to join in on conversations, chime in on issues important to them and to have their voice heard.
An Israel university student is using the popular social networking service, Twitter, to help people Tweet God.
Alon Nir, a resident of Tel Aviv, takes the prayers which are sent via direct link on Nir’s Twitter site, prints them out and drives to Jerusalem to put them into the crevices of the Western Wall. The Western Wall is a Jewish holy site that faithful believe provides a direct line to the Almighty.
Nir promises to deliver the prayers — each no longer than a tweet’s maximum 140 characters — on a regular basis.
Do Good
This awesome ipod/iphone app unites millions of users to do one random act of kindness a day.
The application is appropriately called “DoGood”. Each day the application displays the same “DoGood” to every user on a particular day. Once you’ve completed the DoGood, simply press done.
Social Media Integration
Facebook and Twitter integration allows you to easily tell your friends about each day’s DoGood. You can leave a story on each DoGood, or read the stories of others.
Tracking Social Change
DoGood collects statistics from the group anonymously, and presents them on a graphical dashboard allowing you to easily track each day’s activity. Moreover, you can view past DoGoods and their respective stories.
Are you a photographer, or just interested in photography? Are you an activist, or someone who likes to be aware of global situations that are often ignored by mainstream media? If so, I recommend you visit Socialdocumentary.net, a website featuring documentary photography from around the world. The site showcases beautiful, engaging, shocking and sometimes heartbreaking images exploring global human condition.
Nearly anyone is able to submit photos – professional and amateur photographers, journalists, NGOs and anyone with a story to tell are encouraged to showcase their photographs and share them with the world.
According to the site, the goal of this website is “to make our lives richer and more informed about issues affecting us and our world today. Powerful photographs can also lead to meaningful change in the lives of ordinary people. SocialDocumentary.net provides tools for photographer to inform viewers how to take action—either by supporting NGOs doing work on the issues, or by engaging in direct political action.”
I encourage you to take a look at this touching and educational website and if you can, submit. I hope it motivates us all to take a closer look at our surroundings, our communities and our world, and share what we find with others in order to educate, and inspire each other to make our world a better place to live.
Another reminder that low-budget social media can really make a difference. An idea first promoted on YouTube has worked it’s way to the Senate. The idea? Taxing sodas and other sugary drinks.
Last year, Richard F. Daines, M.D., New York State’s Health Commissioner showed up on YouTube with a very low-budget demo of how much sugared soda makes up of NYC’s resident’s diets. Then, in April the New England Journal of Medicine published a paper, stating that sugary drinks “may be the single largest driver of the obesity epidemic” and also argued that raising the price of the sugar packed drinks may actually lower consumption.
Currently the Senate is considering the soda tax but will the tax actually reduce consumption? If it is anything like the tobacco tax, it could have an impact on youth and lower income Americans, two groups greatly affected by obesity.
And if it does work, who will we have to thank? Well, Richard Daines certainly, but also the smarty who decided to promote this via YouTube.
This blog is the work of the passionate folks at Worldways Social Marketing. Worldways Social Marketing is a full-service agency with global reach. We work for progressive, socially-responsible organizations with life-transforming ideas. Who's writing? View our bios.
