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Publication: my paper, p A1 & A6 Date: 7 April 2011 Headline: Social media 'humanises politicians' Social media 'humanises politicians' 11 OREIGN Minister 1 George Yeo, lauded as among the earliest politi- cians here to use social media, has a priceless axiom for those who want to remain credible on- line - you must be a little "thick-skinned" but without be- ing "rude or sarcastic". Such is his forthcoming na- ture. In an exclusive e-mail inter- view with my paper earlier this week, when asked about the po- tential pitfalls of using social me- dia, he was candid: "It is okay to make mistakes (who doesn't?) but be prepared to admit them and apologise if necessary." Mr YeoS views are particular- ly pertinent in the weeks lead- ing to the upcoming general election, niftily dubbed the "social-media election" due to more leeway being given to the use of new-media platforms for political advertising. m i l e many politicians have hopped onto the social-media bandwagon, few are as tech-sav- vy as Mr Yeo, who had started blogging since 2006. While he might not have the staggering numbers of Ameri- can President Barack Obama, who has 6.5 million Facebook and 1.7 million Twitter support- ers, Mr Yeo now has 5,000 (max- imum) friends on his personal Facebook account and more than 18,000 "fans" on his public page. A check on other politi- cians' Facebook pages reveals their "friends" number mostly in the hundreds. While he is too diplomatic to name politicians, especially col- Fd";1"&,,,tSdarrdW'- AND He signed up for Facebook leagues, who are great users of social media, Mr Yeo shares with my paper his insights on his public and personal motiva- tions in using the various plat- forms. What have politicians and political candidates done right in their use of social media? It humanises them. For exam- ple, when they are seen enjoying a glass of coffee or a bowl of noo- dles. (The postings) should not only be about serious matters or reporting of events. What do you utilise social media like Twilter and Facebook for? Do you use them to express personal opinions or to update event happenings? I use it for a whole range (of rea- sons), from serious speeches at the United Nations to (talking about) eating chicken rice at the coffee shop. It can be very seri- ous, like comments about the - a certain reality' Middle East or for laughs, like pictures of my dog. It also makes me accessible to Singa- poreans, especially to my constituents. They can raise issues, ask questions, com- plain about various matters, either by posting on my (Facebook) wall or through private messaging. Some cheer me on with encouraging comments, which is always nice. With regard to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' work, social media enables me to share what I do with the man in the street, talk about who I meet, the issues I deal with, and the places I visit. One friend said he felt like he was a bird in my pocket being taken around, observing what's taking place. With the iPhone, I've become my own broadcaster. What do you think are the potential pitfalls of using social media? For example, what does one do if one makes an insensitive cmnment that backfires? One has to be a little thick-skinned and avoid being rude or sarcastic. I think it is OK to make mistakes (who doesn't?) but be prepared to admit them and apologise if necessary. Also, it is important to be relaxed and have a sense of humour. No one knows everything. One should be open-minded and be happy to learn from others. What would you do if you find people posting uncivil and trivial comments on your Facebwk wall? I don't normally delete posts unless they are purely commercial or vulgar or deli- berately disruptive. Negative posts add a certain reality. It can make the exchange more authentic. What do you think are some of the lessons from Mr Barack Obama's 2008 presidential election campaign that can be replicated in Singapore? I have no doubt that social media will play an important role in this coming GE. The only question is, how important? For many below the age of 50, social media has become a part of their daily lives. It is a way to reach o1.t to groups who might not otherwise be engaged. [email protected] Source: my paper O Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Permission required for reproduction.
