I once had a friend who, when found to be using the internet for a few minutes outside of her core work hours at Birmingham City Council, promptly found herself out on her ear.

That was back in the late 1990s when the internet was newly arrived in many workplaces and that most evil of all software, the ‘browser’, was seemingly threatening productivity levels in city halls across the country.

Pity my friend didn’t stay in local government as not only is the internet now central to the working lives of most workers but their bosses also seem quite happy to allow them use of social media.

Last week I attended an ‘unconference’ (think conference without a pre-set agenda) where many local government and public sector workers from across the West Midlands and beyond, celebrated the way they use social media to connect to ordinary citizens.

Now before you lot go getting all Daily Mail on me, there was much innovation on display here.

From using Facebook to promote your local arts scene to using Twitter in emergencies, there was a consistent theme throughout the day that rather than wasting time, these were people determined to save on the public purse.

Why procure bulky, flaky IT systems from over-paid consultants when the internet is full of free tools that connect public services to people at low or zero cost?

Sure, there was a bit of unnecessary evangelising in places and there’s a need for research into impact, but on the whole one couldn’t help be impressed with the depth of commitment these embattled public service workers had to their jobs.

If I had a gripe then it’s that the mood was celebratory rather than serious.

I think it needs to move beyond that now. To be outcome focused, serious, for the organisers and participants to see themselves as part of a movement that to all intents and purposes is pretty militant.

Stand by your status updates brothers and sisters, it’s time for an online revolution.

* Dave Harte is award leader for the MA in Social Media at Birmingham City University