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DWP now using Buzzfeed

shawn mach
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I see the DWP has now started using Buzzfeed - the “hottest, most social content on the web ... featuring breaking buzz and the kinds of things you’d want to pass along to your friends” - as part of its social media strategy

Check out, for example -

7 Most Obscure Excuses Given By Benefit Fraudsters: The government has released some of the most stupid excuses for committing benefit fraud. Here are the ridiculous lengths some people have gone to to avoid being brought to justice.

Ps: To save you the trouble of being outraged .... check out the comments below the list and, if you have access to twitter, check out the posts beneath the DWP’s tweet @ https://twitter.com/DWPgovuk/status/506403760848240640

benefitsadviser
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Sunderland West Advice Project

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I like the housing benefit claim where the DWP refused to allow HB to a woman who claimed to be single as her husband lived in a tent in the garden. Since when did the DWP administer Housing benefit?

I call Shenanigans!

stevenmcavoy
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Welfare rights officer - Enable Scotland

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I like twitter for giving the DWP some stick.

Andrew Dutton
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Welfare rights service - Derbyshire County Council

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To the DWP persons reading this site - what an outrageous abuse of social media on your part.

Why not provide information and updates rather than this prejudicial froth?

The rude responses are thoroughly merited.

Gareth Morgan
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As this site says “BuzzFeed Community is a place where anyone can post awesome lists and creations. Learn more or post your buzz! ” then who’s into generating some lists of outrageous behaviour by DWP?

Andrew Dutton
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Welfare rights service - Derbyshire County Council

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Ohhhh yesssss!!!!! Anyone going to the Manchester CPAG conference tomorrow? Care to form an ad-hoc lunchtime committee????

Ros
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editor, rightsnet.org.uk

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Nearly Legal blog below on DCLG getting in on the whole Buzzy thing too in a Buzzfeed item called ‘Is your landlord actually incredible?’

He comments -

‘It is hard for a civil servant, with a predisposition to reticence, obfuscation and paper, to know what to do in an age where ‘amazeballs’ and ‘bedroom tax’ have entered the Oxford English Dictionary, and even the dictionary is only available online. How, the poor bewildered apparatchiks wonder, can we get a message across in a time of kitten pictures, selfies and LOLZ.

Alas, their befuzzled, fustian earnestness leaves them prey to every peak-bearded, artisanally trousered, new media guru able to crank open a MacBook Air and seduce them with talk of clickthroughs, heat maps and the ecstasies of virality. Things Buzz, things that they do not understand, but yearn for. They wish to Buzz.’

http://nearlylegal.co.uk/blog/2014/08/naughty-step-incredible-landlords-buzzy-dclg/

Peter Turville
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Welfare rights worker - Oxford Community Work Agency

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And how much is it costing the taxpayer to pay for DWP staff to write this ******* ? Where are the Taxpayers Alliance when you need them?

Less emphasis on Buzz******* and more time ‘getting it right first time’?

nevip
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Welfare rights adviser - Sefton Council, Liverpool

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Who did this and who authorized it?  It is inappropriate behaviour, and arguably grounds for disciplinary action, for public officials to be publishing such information which seeks to ridicule members of the public who they exist to serve.  It makes no difference that the individuals are not identified or even been convicted of a criminal offence.

Paul_Treloar_CPAG
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Advice and Rights Team, Child Poverty Action Group

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nevip - 03 September 2014 04:37 PM

Who did this and who authorized it?  It is inappropriate behaviour, and arguably grounds for disciplinary action, for public officials to be publishing such information which seeks to ridicule members of the public who they exist to serve.  It makes no difference that the individuals are not identified or even been convicted of a criminal offence.

You clearly haven’t been following the official DWP Press Office twitter feed Paul.

This isn’t the work of rogue individuals, this is quite deliberate propaganda through social media, and is clearly authorised and indeed encouraged to be as pernicious and mendacious as possible.

nevip
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Welfare rights adviser - Sefton Council, Liverpool

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But it’s still unclear who authorized it Paul.

shawn mach
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a more positive use, celebrating CitA’s 75th birthday yesterday ...

http://www.buzzfeed.com/citizensadvice/29-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-citizens-nwu1

nevip
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Welfare rights adviser - Sefton Council, Liverpool

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And a dancing Beyonce to boot!