Read more at source.
Read more at source.
Social media platforms like X have become vital tools for emergency communications. In California, the California Highway Patrol's Emergency Notification and Tactical Alert Center has been using X to push out notifications since 2018. However, this recent incident has highlighted potential pitfalls in this approach, as not all users were able to access the alert. This issue raises questions about the reliability of social media for emergency communications, particularly following changes to moderation and verification policies on platforms like Twitter after Elon Musk took over.
The incident has sparked discussions about digital equity and accessibility. As Amanda Lee Hughes, a professor of computer science at Brigham Young University who has studied digital emergency communications tools, points out, everyone should be able to access life-critical information, regardless of whether they use a specific platform. This incident has exposed the potential accessibility challenges created by a login requirement on social media platforms.
This is not the first incident of its kind. In July 2023, residents in Missouri reported a similar issue with an Amber Alert notification linked to an X post. Despite the outcry, the Missouri Highway Patrol continued to use X for Amber Alert notifications after the platform verified the law enforcement agency's account as an official government entity, resolving the login issue. This suggests a potential solution for the California Highway Patrol, although not all of the agency's accounts appear to be verified.
Requiring a login creates accessibility challenges and raises concerns about digital equity. Everyone should be able to access life-critical information, regardless of whether they use a specific platform - Amanda Lee Hughes, a professor of computer science at Brigham Young University.
