not just a fling

Sure, the 2008 presidential campaign has been remarkable for the ever-increasing presence and effectiveness of social media in raising awareness, raising money and getting people to the polls.

But is this just a fling?

Mark Glaser at PBS' Media Shift hopes not. Just as Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has managed to use social media to continue the conversation with his constituents long after the election, Glaser thinks the new President has an opportunity to "use technology and new media to be more responsive to us."

Most of the items on Glaser's list aim to increase transparency -- more information being put out -- although some also allow for at least some co-creation between policy makers and citizens. Ideally, I would like to see more of the latter, but I wonder about the infrastructure that needs to be in place to ensure that the contributions that ordinary Americans make are truly put to use and not just used as window dressing for a new era in government.

Glaser is looking for additional ideas, so drop by and share yours with him.