18.10.2010
The ALRC established a presence on the information networking site, Twitter, in October 2009 (http://twitter.com/AusLawReform). The ALRC Web Manager regularly posts messages, known as ‘tweets’, about the ALRC’s work, inquiries and consultations. The Web Manager also monitors Twitter, to see who is ‘talking’ to or about the Commission, its inquiries or relevant topics in other ‘conversations’.
Typical ALRC posts or ‘tweets’ include:
- new content on the ALRC’s website and forums;
- invitations for submissions to ALRC inquiries;
- updates about ALRC internships;
- subscribing to e-newsletters;
- information updates regarding Commissioners and inquiry teams; and
- links to other materials and resources, including online newspaper articles and multimedia relevant to ALRC inquiries past and present, the ALRC’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), and the work of the ALRC generally.
Twitter is proving an increasingly important avenue for informing the public about the ALRC’s work generally, and its current inquiries and consultations.
As at 30 June 2010, the ALRC had made 425 tweets and had over 500 followers. The ALRC’s ‘tweets’ had been ‘retweeted’ or mentioned by other Twitter members 138 times. An analysis of users following the ALRC on Twitter found that approximately:
- 14% are journalists or media entities;
- 12% are law firms or legal organisations;
- 10% are law students, law schools or universities;
- 10% identified a strong interest in Gov 2.0/online engagement/social media;
- 5% are NGAs or Special Interest Groups (SIGs);
- 4% are politicians or political organisations;
- 3% are government agencies; and
- 42% are miscellaneous (their interests are not identified in their profiles).
The ALRC’s Twitter policy can be found on the ALRC website.