The Internal Revenue Service took a bold step for a government agency and released a smartphone application. Titled IRS2Go, the app lets users check their tax return status. But IRS2Go’s relatively limited functionality signals a future challenge for federal agencies releasing iPhone/Android applications: how do you give people the functionality they want while still complying with a variety of outdated rules that govern agencies’ interactions with the public.IRS2Go is a handsome piece of work that lets users check the status of their federal income tax refund, receive daily tax tips and follow the Twitter feed of the IRS, @IRSNews. That is, however, nothing that cannot be accomplished on the IRS’ website — but the application does help give a handy public relations boost to a sometimes beleaguered government agency.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=114941