By: Gloria Larkin                                                                                                    September 1, 2015

In this day and age, it’s hardly a surprise that the federal government marketplace is a heavy user of social media and mobile apps by the civilian and military agencies, as well as by the contractors or vendors.

The government and military use social media to officially communicate with employees, citizens and even the world at large. Social media initially served as a public relations tool to push news and information outwards; however, many federal organizations are now embracing social media — typically tools LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and Pinterest — to actively communicate with and listen to constituents.

A recent Washington Post article reported the Department of Education’s use of social media “… to answer questions on a monthly basis from students and parents. Using the hashtag #AskFAFSA, the department is directly engaging citizens’ questions on Twitter about student aid forms and other college financing processes ….“ The story further states that the Department of Veterans Affairs launched the #VetQ campaign, which covered topics ranging from health and disability benefits to VA home loans, the GI Bill and educational benefits.  Read more.