Please activate JavaScript!
Please install Adobe Flash Player, click here for download
ePaper created 2012-12-31, 17:51:27 | version 1.24.0
Research Note: World Leader Rankings on Twitter December 2012 7 Social media watchdog website “Morsi Meter” monitored Morsi’s achievements and how they measure up to the 100-day pledge he made before he assumed office earlier in the year. In 2012, five out of the top 15 heads of state using Twitter were Muslim/Middle Eastern countries. Arab Spring players such as Libya, Tunisia, and Iraq also had their heads of state adopt Twitter, and new government offices in this region included Qatar and the Presidential Palace of Afghanistan. Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati is one leader who reportedly engages personally with his 78,000 followers. A majority of his tweets were replies and he held regular Twitter chats with his followers. Latin America South American nations continued to dominate the Twitterverse, which was likely due to the almost 90% of Latin American internet users engaged with at least one social media platform in 2012. Currently the region ranked second only to North America in adoption of this “passing fad turned digital revolution.” In fact, 2012’s largest jumps in the ranking included heads of state from Latin American countries, with President Rafael Correa from Ecuador (up to 15 from 27), President Danilo Medina of the Dominican Republic (up to 29 from 47), and President Otto Pérez Molina of Guatemala (up from 52 to 41). Citizens saw newly elected leaders take to social media more readily than the last, asking for feedback and listening to their constituents a little closer. Leaders tweeting in this region are known for trumpeting their government’s achievements, publicizing new policies, imparting positive economic information, or passing comments on important issues of the day. Latin American leaders all tend to have very high Klout scores in the 70- 80 range. (President Obama had the highest Klout score at the writing of this report at 99, followed by El Salvador, Canada, Australia, France, and Israel.) Those with Klout scores from 70-80 are “thought leaders that are not only referring content, but creating original content and ideas.” Eighty and above reflects that the personality is extremely well known. They are followed not only by those who are directly affected by their governance, but even in broader areas and usually by a more global audience. New additions in this region include the leaders of Paraguay, Honduras, the Bahamas and Jamaica.