Maryland’s open data portal now has a Twitter handle

On the heels of a new URL and redesign, Maryland’s open data portal is now adding tweets to the digital mix.

The state’s Department of Information and Technology (DoIT) said Monday that it’s launching a new Twitter account: Follow @datamaryland.

With the Twitter presence, DoIT will provide updates on when new datasets have been uploaded to the portal, as well as other #opendata communications from the state government.

“Social media is a great tool to quickly disseminate information to the public and we are excited about the opportunity to use Twitter to increase public awareness regarding the Open Data Portal,” said DoIT Secretary Michael G. Leahy. “The Open Data Portal increases transparency and will continue to provide users with access to new and exciting state government data sets.”

The state’s open data portal houses more than 1,300 public datasets. In March, it got some updates with an eye toward improving user experience and “story features” that combine visualizations and narrative content.