CIA adds social media functions that nobody asked for to its website
The CIA just revamped its website -- that's right guys -- the CIA has a website. Now you may not spend a ton of time trolling the government's various portals of information but the new and improved CIA website is a veritable treasure trove of data. The CIA isn't immune to the world around it, either, and its refreshed design brings with it a YouTube channel, a Flickr stream (we culled the photo you see above from there), as well as Quick Links for sharing on various social media sites. Now, we can't embed the best video we found on the CIA's YouTube channel (they're not that social yet) but it's called "CIA Overview," and is surely worth your time. There's a press release after the break.
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CIA Introduces Enhancements to Public Website
February 7, 2011
Today the Central Intelligence Agency launched several enhancements to CIA.gov to improve its functionality and refresh the site's design. Among the updated features, visitors will find new ways to connect to a broad array of Agency content, including through social media sites.
"The idea behind these improvements is to make more information about the Agency available to more people, more easily," Director Panetta said. "The CIA wants the American people and the world to understand its mission and its vital role in keeping our country safe."
The CIA.gov homepage now includes links to a CIA YouTube channel and Flickr site. The CIA YouTube channel features current and historical videos about the Agency, including speeches by Director Leon E. Panetta and a CIA Overview video. The CIA Flickr site links to copyright-free pictures from CIA.gov for easy access. Both features, which are used by many Americans, will enable the Agency to more easily share information on its mission and history. They can be found under "Quick Links" on the homepage.
The improved CIA.gov homepage also includes a new "CIA Interactive" section that highlights some of our most popular, fun, and educational interactive content. Visitors who regularly use this content will find it much more accessible. In addition, the CIA added new photos on the homepage, broadening the public's glimpse into the Agency.
More enhancements are planned in the next few months, including content that is mobile-friendly and in foreign languages. These features also will improve the Agency's ability to reach new audiences. Because more than half of Internet users browse with mobile devices, CIA.gov is developing a truncated, text-based version of the full site. Offering content in foreign languages underscores the global nature of the CIA's mission and highlights Director Panetta's emphasis on language excellence at the Agency.
The changes to CIA.gov aim to improve visitors' experience with the site, increase connections to those using popular Internet sites and tools, and share even more information on employment opportunities with the CIA.
