This document discusses the potentials and pitfalls of politicians using social media. It notes that social media allows for personal branding, connectivity, and interactivity, but can also be a "thief of time" and encourage empty grandstanding. The document also examines different roles politicians take on social media, such as constituency servant, parliamentarian, and party spokesperson, and questions how to separate personal and political use of social media.

1. Political Communication and Social Media Like watching your dad dance? Dr Darren G. Lilleker Bournemouth University

18. As an individual (so how to separate the personal from the political)

19. As a constituency representative (but do constituents want to engage via SNS)

20. As a party megaphone (but are there not enough spin doctors around)

21. Q&A