White House considers new social media avenues

White House communications staffers are investigating using social media sites beyond Facebook and Twitter to broaden the Obama administration's public engagement and, perhaps, to communicate in different ways, a White House aide said.

That investigation is driven partly by a belief that social media changes so rapidly the government must be willing to experiment with new platforms, and because outside advisers to the administration already are using newer platforms, White House New Media Director Macon Phillips said. Former America Online Chief Executive Officer Steve Case, who serves on President Obama's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, for example, uses Quora.com, an online question-and-answer site, Phillips said. As Twitter grows and develops, White House staff has noted that users tend to favor Tweets from individuals over institutions, Phillips said, even when an individual is Tweeting in his or her role as an agency or corporate official. The White House still intends to send the majority of its Tweets from its official Twitter account, Phillips said, but is looking closely at the trend as more officials and staff begin Tweeting.