ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the relationship between social media, planning, and policy. It starts by returning briefly to directionality and social media. The chapter appreciates social media’s unique ecosystem characteristics—significant for working beyond rationality. These qualities have implications for democracy, including needs for risk management. Several disciplines undertake risk management; and there are different ways of understanding risk. Risk management often stimulates structured problem-solving responses. Risk management is especially important in the insurance and banking sectors. Yet why do risk, insurance, and banking matter for planning and policy? In using social media, details involving directionality, volume, and trust become significant. Some researchers used data from a study by the Pew Research Center to determine the link between government use of social media and public trust in that government. There are many ways to use social media in planning and policy work. For the sake of brevity, the chapter considers just the relationship to engagement and public service provision.
