Canadian MP Wants Twitter Use By MPs Banned

Charlie Angus who is the NDP MP that is best known for technology issues such as network neutrality has started a campaign to ban Twitter use by MPs:

“I have nothing against the technology, nothing,” he said this morning. “But it really exposes the absolute banality of this place. … There is something about it that turns otherwise intelligent professionals into Grade 9 jocks and cheerleaders in a school cafeteria.”

Why has he taken this action? This came from a comment from fellow MP Michelle Simson who said on her Twitter feed that Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro should “grow up (not out).” Here’s a video that’s related to this.

What’s my thought on this? In my mind the problem is not Twitter. The problem is courtesy. In this case there was a lack of it. These MPs should be turning off their Blackberries in meetings (as apparently the Tweet in question came from a Blackberry used by MP Simson) and in Parliament, much like people in the corporate world should be turning off their Blackberries in meetings. Oh, and they should not be Tweeting during these meetings under any circumstances.

The proposal by Mr. Angus treats only the symptom. How about we treat the disease instead? I think that will have better results.

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