The news about President Obama’s first Twitter Town Hall later today has been noticed far and wide, judging from the request earlier today for me to participate in the program Studio One on Swedish Radio.

Why is Obama doing this? How will it work? Who will ask the questions? Will this be a new phenomenon in the American election campaign?

You need to know Swedish to listen, of course, but here is the link.

The reasons for the Twitter Town Hall can be found in the facts that the number of Americans using social media has nearly doubled since 2008 and that the users have gotten older – almost half are now over 35 years of age. In addition, according to Pew Research Center, users of social media are more politically engaged than Americans in general.

Over two million people follow the White House on Twitter, an important audience to target, which explains today’s Town Hall.