10 ways a Facebook page can help local governments

A Facebook page can help a local government build a stronger social connection to the people it represents. The Web site InsideFacebook.com details 10 ways a Facebook presence can yield advantages for local government leaders seeking to understand the needs of the people they were elected or hired to serve.

"Facebook offers a number of unique advantages in helping local governments do a better job of listening to their bosses, from features like status updates, to the wall, to applications for polling, longer discussions, videos and photos, and much else," the Web site states. It adds  that the popularity of social networking tends to cause users to provide their real names and locations — factors that make it especially useful for local leaders who are trying to figure out who their constituents really are.