The Vatican Taps Social Media to Engage Followers

Interesting news over at Mashable today, the Vatican decides they will tap social media to engage their members or followers (see http://on.mash.to/1bGzX6X). The details are very vague but the idea is it will be used for their sacrament of reconciliation (confession) but I'm sure it will also be useful for inquiries and other concerns. The biggest challenge, of course, would be having billions of members that speak hundreds of different languages. I really can't imagine how they'd manage that.

How did the printing press change the world? 

I've long talked about the importance of tapping social media in my libertarian blog most especially for the government (see also Why Governments Should Emulate Globe Telecom's Social Media Initiatives) not only being inspired by the work I do now but also because of how it can drastically enhance our democracy and limit government.

It has always been all about paradigm shifts in how people communicate or disseminate information. Let's take time to remember how the introduction of the printing press to the greater market changed the world. As more people got access to it, people got freer and more prosperous. In nations where this technological breakthrough was suppressed, oppression and suffering increased. This is because democratizing access to communication will always allow freedom and prosperity to flourish.

Just look at how social media helped topple tyrannies in Libya or Egypt and continues to support revolutions in different parts of the world. There was a time when people had to hide parcels of literature or record over casette tapes and pass them on manually just to spread information (see also History, Dictators, and Blowback). Now, with a click of a button, you can share your ideas to almost the whole world. And this is something we should always fight to enhance and never restrict.

You know, don't ever let people like Nancy Binay who want to regulate social media succeed. This is nothing but a precedent to further regulation and restriction of the internet and a framework for a  big, secretive, Orwellian government (see also Snowden's Leaks and Support for Ron Paul).

I'm not even such a big religious type of person but I find this news as a step in the right direction as the same principle applies for any group, institution, or nation: it is always beneficial to utilize and democratize any means of communication.

How about you? What are your thoughts? :)

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