Transition Watch: Watchers impressed by and wary of online Obama

Observers of the Obama team’s use of the Internet so far have been impressed, but warn that using it for a broader, interactive relationship between government and citizens will be challenging, according to a report by the San Jose Mercury News.

The Internet is good for disseminating information to a large audience at once, but handling the feedback from them can be another matter. Various restrictions, rules and culture that differ from agency to agency also can make openness and participation difficult.

Who Obama appoints as the government’s chief technology officer could be crucial, because that person will be responsible for pushing agencies toward greater public access, the report said.