EU lawmakers warm up to online media: survey

A new five-country study of senior staff in the U.S. Congress and European Parliaments released in November 2009 revealed the influential role of online resources and social media networks in setting policy and communicating with constituents in political capitals across the Atlantic.

The Capital Staffers Index, conducted by StrategyOne and involving interviews of nearly 400 senior congressional and parliamentarian staff in Washington, D.C., Brussels, London, Paris and Berlin, revealed that social networks like Facebook are becoming an increasingly important resource for staffers.

StrategyOne surveyed 396 seniors staff members from key capitals in the U.S. and Europe to determine the perceived value of the Internet as a tool for policymakers to connect with local residents and communities; determine the credibility and trust associated with social media networks; and compare the Internet’s influence on policymakers internationally.

Blog: Writing for y(EU): How many MEPs use social media? A tentative update, 21.4.10 http://www.ep-webeditors.eu/2010/04/how-may-meps-use-social-media-a-tentative-update/

Edelman: Press Release, 3.11.09: New Study Demonstrates Importance and Impact of Digital Media In U.S. and European Policy Making http://www.edelman.com/news/ShowOne.asp?ID=225

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