Privacy Best Practices for Social Media, CIO Council, July 2013: “One of the Federal Government’s most important missions is to provide citizens, customers, and partners with easy access to government information and services. As society increasingly relies on social media as a primary source for information, it is clear that these platforms have an important role to play in the Federal Government’s communication strategy, including its move toward a digital, open government. Social media allows an agency to post messages in places where people regularly interact, and ensures it reaches interested audiences–including audiences known to the agency a s well as those that are unknown. In addition, social media enhances the Federal Government’s situational awareness by enabling agencies to learn about problems and issues being discussed by different audiences, and allowing agencies to react, respond, and assist the public more efficiently and effectively. Government agencies also may use social media to fulfill their operational missions, for example, detecting and preventing benefit fraud and abuse.”