PRIO POLICY BRIEF 14 2015 Visiting Address: Hausmanns gate 3 Address: Visiting Norway NO-0134 Oslo, 9229 Grønland, PO Box Institute Oslo (PRIO) Research Peace used somewhat bold humour which presented Organisational control they therefore stand in a different relationship themselves as up to date and competitive – hav- towards uniformity to citizens than citizens do among themselves. ing been on Twitter for several years – while the The police’s display of an informal tone – hu- world renowned CIA was new to Twitter and the mour, emotions and a more casual identity – Lessons from Norwegian one on the receiving end of the fun. A few select risks affecting their nonpartisan and detached Numerous social social media media users bureaucratic ethos. The Oslo Police Operation Centre’s use of hu- users mour was described as having changed over the Emergency Authorities’ Use Sources recent years from, what we have termed, bold to innocent. The use of humour on Twitter had Employee discretion Bjørnland, B. (2014). Mulig terrortrussel mot “Be-yourself”-management led to a higher degree of organizational control, Norge. [Possible terror threat against Norway]. Figure 3. The degree and form of organizational of Social Media through culture management initiatives. Thus, Retrieved from: http://www.pst.no/media/presse- the degree and type of organizational control is a control, and the number of social media users. meldinger/mulig-terrortrussel-mot-norge/. third dimension that affects the use of humour is also tasked with a complex communications European Commission. (2014). Norway - Di- and factors into organizational identity forma- job. Many communicators allow for many inter- tion. saster management structure. Retrieved from: actions, but it may also imply many voices with http://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/civil_protection/ PRIOUpdates Twitter: PRIO.org Facebook: www.prio.org varying identity effects for the organization. For Control and diversity vademecum/no/2-no-1.html. representatives of other, smaller organizations, Social media has evolved for instance PST and the National Security Au- Rasmussen, J. (2015). ‘Should each of us take Brief Points Organizational control of the use of social media thority (NSM), the work with the organization’s over the role as watcher?’ Attitudes on Twit- along with expectations that always involves some form of discursive con- social media accounts was designated for a se- ter towards the 2014 Norwegian terror alert. Some public authorities use social striction. It may be that the organization wants • lect few. The conditions for managing and con- Journal of Multicultural Discourses, 1-17. doi: organizations, including public media as a push-channel for their own to present a consistent identity and therefore trolling these organizations’ presence on social 10.1080/17447143.2015.1042882 uses rules for social media use and implements authorities, would create more messages rather than to engage in a media are therefore substantially different. controls towards uniformity, but other organiza- Veil, S. R., Buehner, T., & Palenchar, M. J. (2011). dialogue. A work-in-process literature review: Incor- tions may implement a low degree of controls Central to consider is how appropriate it is that dialogue with citizens. This porating social media in risk and crisis com- and a high degree of employee discretion or, public authorities - and especially those with a Yet, it is important for organizations munication. Journal of Contingencies and Crisis policy brief argues for, first, the • alternatively, “just be yourself” management monopoly on the use of force – create popularity Management, 19(2), 110 -122 . doi: 10.1111/j.1468 - to use social media for listening, to which encourages diversity and individual ex- around themselves using informal communica- 5973.2011.0 0639.x importance for public authorities pression within certain limits. These different tion, humour, and updates that show a more understand emerging issues, and to degrees and types of organizational control have casual side of themselves. to listen to, follow up on and use create organizational learning. major implications for the use of an informal ISBN: tone and the presentation of the organization’s However refreshing it may feel with authori- social media users’ responses In addition, social media has become 978-82-7288-640-9 (print) 978-82-7288-641-6 (online) • identity. ties that do not appear old-fashioned and stuffy, an outlet for informal communication, it might be risky, democratically speaking, and viewpoints to facilitate A final dimension concerns the number of em- that authorities make themselves popular on emotion-charged messages and ployees who have access to and may use the or- grounds other than the performance of their dialogue and organizational humour. ganization’s social media accounts. The respon- primary duties. The border between relation- learning, and, second, the need dents’ organizations were very different in this ship building and propaganda is subtle. One When public authorities change their regard. The National Police Directorate, which • reason to more clearly distinguish between to more systematically reflect official language and voice, they also is to support 27 police districts, all of which are professional and civil identity is that an organi- on Twitter now, has a complex and difficult task zation like the police is to serve and protect the on the causes, meaning, and make changes to their identity and to at hand. The Oslo Police District, with a dozen people, and in this task they have more powers public servant-ship. operators who can communicate on the opera- and responsibilities than ordinary citizens, and consequences of the informal tone tions centre’s Twitter account around the clock, that some public authorities have • There is a risk that authorities make themselves popular on grounds other THE AUTHOR THE PROJECT PRIO come to use in social media. Joel Rasmussen is a postdoctoral researcher DIGICOM studies digitalisation in order to The Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) is a than the performance of their primary at the Department of Media and better grasp how new forms of risk commu- non-profit peace research institute (estab- duties. Communication, University of Oslo. nication affect societal security. It explores lished in 1959) whose overarching purpose E-mail: [email protected] risk communication in different environments, is to conduct research on the conditions for such as authorities, news media and social peaceful relations between states, groups and Øyvind Ihlen is professor of Media and media, as well as in relation to specific types people. The institute is independent, interna- Communication at the University of Oslo. of risk events that are of relevance for tional and interdisciplinary, and explores is- Joel Rasmussen Øyvind Ihlen E-mail: [email protected] preparedness in Norway and beyond. sues related to all facets of peace and conflict. University of Oslo University of Oslo PRIO POLICY BRIEF 14 2015 www.prio.org tion. This communication was vital given that a critique. The story was about an airplane pas- characterizes and distinguishes it, the move to- Mapping the Norwegian risk terror alert requires that a threat is conveyed and senger who had been reported as suspicious to wards an informal tone is a critical change. We communication environment National Government Emergency Management Council interpreted as real. At the same time, research the police by a fellow passenger because of his wondered how the responsible communication Ministry of Justice and the on antiterrorism discourse has stated that such skin color and tattoos. Twitter users drew on professionals who work for emergency prepared- A key characteristic of social media is its possi- Emergency Emergency University Police (or another appointed discourse is often vague and abstract. Indeed, this story and continued the criticism of peer ness authorities relate to these new social media bility of two-way communication between a plu- Support Unit Planning Colleges rality of users. However, several investigations “Lead Ministry”) Collece vagueness characterized parts of the authori- surveillance. practices. How does their organization’s use of Fire College show that few organizations engage in dialogue, (DCDEP) ties’ communication in this Norwegian case, an informal tone on social media shape their Directorate for Joint Rescue with statements about a “possible terror threat” This leads us to third point, namely responses view of their own organization and, therefore, and that the focus is rather on using social me- National Civil Protection Coordination that is “concrete but non-specific” (Bjørnland, on Twitter that profess attitudes regarding eth- dia, and particularly Twitter, as a push-channel Police the organization’s identity? To explore issues of and Emergency Centres nicity and blame. There was a category of tweets for the organization’s own messages. Simultane- Planning Directorate Civil Defence 2014). One category of tweets attested that this risk communication, and the increasingly popu- (JRCC) that endorsed attitudes supporting police use of ously, some key public authorities no longer use (DCDEP) Training vagueness produced uncertainty and fear, and lar use of an informal tone, fourteen interviews racial profiling: only an official language style in the public, and Centres they articulated more or less bluntly negative were conducted with communications profes- Country social media has