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December 15, 2006BELTWAY BLOGROLL
House Of Blogs
Blogging is still in the early stages of the technological revolutionary curve in Congress. As the blogroll to your left indicates, only a couple of dozen lawmakers currently have blogs.
But the potential for change, at least in the House, is much greater as of this week. The House Administration Committee just approved secure blog software that will be available to every member. Aliya Sternstein, our new e-government reporter at Technology Daily had the scoop today. Here is a reprint of the article:
House Offers Standard Blog Software To Members
By Aliya Sternstein
The House this week notified its members that secure blog software is now available for those who choose to maintain online journals.
Salley Collins, a spokeswoman for the House Administration Committee, said members still can use blog tools from other vendors if they meet House security requirements. Outgoing House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., already keeps a blog, as do several other House members.
The House tool is compatible with all Web platforms, Collins said. "We offer member offices both Unix and Windows Web platforms for their site, so it was important that the blog tool run independently and be easily portable between those platforms."
The legislative and executive branches increasingly are considering the online soapboxes as tools to pitch their agendas.
There are some rules for blog correspondence on congressional sites. "The general rule of thumb is content of Web sites should comply with the same regulations of franked mail," Collins said. Such official mass communications by members of Congress include: constituent mail relating to public issues; newsletters and questionnaires; and federal publications, laws and regulations.
While blogs are not yet widespread on federal Web sites, the CIA uses more than 1,000 internal blogs, and Montgomery County, Md., hosts a blog for the Division of Solid Waste.
"To my knowledge there are no government-wide blog-specific rules," said Bev Godwin, director of operations at FirstGov, the federal government's Internet portal. "Some rules about government information apply to blogs as they would for any information the government distributes."
Last month, FirstGov announced a new blog primer that is online for agency Web content managers. The site notes at the top that it "is a work in progress as we all learn more about using blogs on government Web sites."
Godwin said of the site, "These are guidelines to help agencies understand what blogs are and issues to consider regarding government blogs." FirstGov officials are encouraging Web managers to add information to the site.
After the blog resource went live, Godwin received a survey on local government blogging activities conducted by a city in Texas. Web managers also have sent her advice on how to select blogging software.
The Senate chief information officer could not be reached for comment about any plans for blog software in the upper chamber.
Posted by Danny | 04:07 PM
