Having already got on board with Facebook, more than 40 councils are now Twittering. More than 40 local authorities have free social networking accounts with the website Twitter, which is becoming an Internet phenomenon. Many are using it to release important information and to notify residents of events. The online social networking tool has seen a 974% increase in UK traffic in 2008. Twitter updates, known as ‘tweets', are 140 words or less, and are sent instantly to people who subscribe as ‘followers' of a person or organisation. Lichfield DC was the first council to post links to its planning applications on its Twitter home page. Webmaster at the council, Stuart Harrison, said: ‘It gets in people's faces more. I keep an eye on who's following us, it's always exciting when we get a new follower.' Richmondshire DC is using it to broadcast news and events. Other users include Wakefield City Council, Swansea City Council, Newcastle City Council, Wandsworth LBC among others. Users of Twitter include London mayor, Boris Johnson, and US president, Barack Obama. Communities secretary, Hazel Blears, has been using the site to detail her ministerial work.
