Homeland Security Page Sucks

I hadn’t been back to the home page of The Office of
Homeland Security since I went to get a copy of
the color-coded alert system to make fun of it. But I had
breakfast yesterday with David
Stephenson, a consultant to companies and
the government on how to use the Internet to change
their ways of doing business. He’s been thinking
about what Might Be when it comes to using the Net
to help protect our country from terrorist attacks.
David reminded me of just how bad the Homeland’s
home page is.

Have I mentioned that it sucks? And in this case,
sucking isn’t a laughing matter.

The basic problem with the page is that it’s
primarily intended as PR for the grand job the
administration is doing. There’s the endless photo
montage of Bush signing legislation and Ridge
looking tough but slightly bewildered at press
conferences. There’s the “Homeland Security Timeline” that lists
speeches and budget increases but somehow misses the
anthrax-based evacuation of the Senate and doesn’t
list a single one of the alerts Ridge’s office has
issued.

Most clearly featured are the press releases:
“Tom Ridge Speaks to the Associated Press Annual
Luncheon,” “Remarks by Homeland Security Director
Tom Ridge to the Electronics Industries Alliance.”
The impression this leaves: the greatest weapon in
the anti-terrorism arsenal is the rubber chicken.

In one of his speeches, Ridge says, “We’re going
to knock down the information ‘stovepipes’
throughout government and turn them into pipelines.”
Excellent and important. So where are those
pipelines on the Homeland home page? Where’s even a
link to the FBI page? How about a link to something
– anything! – that isn’t just more PR about what a
swell job Bush and Ridge are doing?

In that same speech, Ridge says:

The American people must become
active partners in their own protection. More than
30,000 have already signed up for the President’s
new Citizen Corps program. They’ll contribute to
homeland security at the grassroots, neighborhood
level. I urge all Americans to serve.

And how might we serve? Where’s the link to the
Citizen Corps? Where’s a place where we can leave a
tip, get educated about what “be on alert” means and
what “suspicious behavior” is, or ask a simple
question? (I’m too civic minded to make fun of
Ridge’s suggestion that attending a PTA meeting
constitutes an anti-terrorist action.)

In fact, the URL is within the whitehouse.gov
domain, sitting there along with the pages for White
House tours, the first lady, and the “Kids Only”
page – all listed as buttons above the Homeland
Security title, just one click away. Swell.

When a government engages in PR, it’s called
propaganda. And in this case it’s not only disgraceful, it’s dangerous. What a missed opportunity. For shame.

Categories: Uncategorized dw