NARA Releases Federal Web 2.0 Use Study
Press Release · Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Press Release
September 21, 2010

National Archives and Records Administration Releases Federal Web 2.0 Use Study

Washington, DC…Have government agencies embraced new social media? The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) shares the answer in its new study: A Report on Federal Web 2.0 Use and Record Value. The report is online [http://www.archives.gov/files//records-mgmt/resources/web2.0-use.pdf]

The report explores how Federal agencies are using web 2.0 tools to create and share information. Tools examined include internal and external blogs, wikis, social networking, and other collaborative web-based technologies.

Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero, a blogger and Tweeter himself, stressed the importance of such virtual outreach: “Social media and other web 2.0 tools are key aspects in furthering transparency and open government and through this study NARA provides a foundation for understanding and addressing the records management challenges these tools present."

Six Federal agencies were assessed on their use of and policies regarding web 2.0 tools. Representatives from an additional 19 Federal agencies participated in a focus group session.

The study concludes that based upon function and use, records created should continue to be appraised based upon business, evidential, informational, and contextual values.

Study recommendations include clarifying the statutory definition of a Federal record, addressing transfer requirements for permanent web 2.0 records into NARA’s holdings, mitigating public expectations of content longevity, and integrating records management into agency social media policy.

For further information and discussion about the report, see NARA’s National Records Management Program Blog, Records Express [http://blogs.archives.gov/records-express/].

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