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The British Government in a fresh foray into technological advancement urged, encouraged, and helped civil servants tweet as a way of keeping citizens informed, keeping up with constituents, and modeling the nation’s ideals.

To help government employees to tweet properly, the administration published a guide to Twitter. The 20-page document explains what Twitter is, how to use it, and details on how government ministers should employ it to full advantage. Neil Williams (Twitter: neillyneil) the “web strategy geek” of Britain’s Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), authored the guide with the help of other BIS employees. Among other stipulations, Britain’s Twitter guide requests that government workers tweet at least two times a day, and ideally more like ten. However, proper Twitter decorum would mandate that government workers allow thirty minutes to pass before they publish another tweet.

With a public and real-time forum for communication, government workers should exercise care. That is why the government urges ministers to tweet with utmost attention to honesty and accuracy. Twitter is not a forum for personal agendas, which is why no minister will self-campaign on Twitter. Furthermore, any proprietary information should be kept absolutely confidential.

What is Britain doing? After all, what other governments are mandating government Tweeters? In attempt to release itself from its stodgy and old-fashioned government caricature, the British government wants to be as proactive as possible in providing a venue for technology. Twitter is one way to do so, while at the same time providing the benefits of instant government communication and a personal level of interaction with citizens.