Laugh factory. Photograph courtesy CIA via Flickr.
The CIA follows many, and now we can follow it back, in a sense. The agency officially joined Twitter on Friday, sending out a debut tweet that is unusually funny for government work.
We can neither confirm nor deny that this is our first tweet.
But don’t expect too much excitement out of the account. In a press release, the CIA says it will use its account mostly for “the latest news, statements, and career information”—unclassified stuff, basically—as well as “Throwback Thursday” posts featuring memorable moments in intelligence history.
“By expanding to these platforms, CIA will be able to more directly engage with the public and provide information on CIA’s mission, history, and other developments,” CIA Director John Brennan says in the press release. The agency is in the midst of a social media push: It also launched an official Facebook page and is stepping up its use of YouTube and photo-sharing site Flickr.
Scads of Twitter users are now following the CIA, but the agency only appears to be following other segments of the US Intelligence Community. Officially, the CIA is only following 25 accounts; the actual number is probably much higher.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
CIA Joins Twitter With a Joke
The agency is now part of the social-media network. Officially, that is.
The CIA follows many, and now we can follow it back, in a sense. The agency officially joined Twitter on Friday, sending out a debut tweet that is unusually funny for government work.
Heh.
But don’t expect too much excitement out of the account. In a press release, the CIA says it will use its account mostly for “the latest news, statements, and career information”—unclassified stuff, basically—as well as “Throwback Thursday” posts featuring memorable moments in intelligence history.
“By expanding to these platforms, CIA will be able to more directly engage with the public and provide information on CIA’s mission, history, and other developments,” CIA Director John Brennan says in the press release. The agency is in the midst of a social media push: It also launched an official Facebook page and is stepping up its use of YouTube and photo-sharing site Flickr.
Scads of Twitter users are now following the CIA, but the agency only appears to be following other segments of the US Intelligence Community. Officially, the CIA is only following 25 accounts; the actual number is probably much higher.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Most Popular in News & Politics
Best of Washington 2024: Things to Eat, Drink, Shop, Do, and Know
Washington DC’s 500 Most Influential People of 2024
What It Felt Like for a Virginia Marching Band to Win Metallica’s Contest
What’s IN and OUT in DC Restaurant Trends for 2024
Washingtonian Magazine
August: Great Festivals & Fairs
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
Best of Washington 2024: Where to Eat and Drink
Best of Washington 2024: Things to Do
Best of Washington 2024: Where to Shop
Best of Washington 2024: Things to Know
More from News & Politics
Mubadala Citi Open 2024 Is Putting Mics on Players and Hosting Michelin-Star Chefs
Why Is Babydog in All These Famous Artworks?
Varsity Pickleball Will Come to All Montgomery County High Schools This Fall
Can Any Town in the US Dethrone Arlington as the Nation’s Fittest Place?
I Saw “Twisters” in 4DX. I Didn’t Realize It Was a Comedy.
A Gen-Zer’s Guide to Kamala Harris Memes
MAP: How to Get Around DC During Benjamin Netanyahu’s Visit This Week
Olympics 2024: These DC-Area Athletes Will Compete in Paris