International Courant
As tens of thousands and thousands of individuals start utilizing Threads, Meta’s rival to Twitter, police and emergency companies throughout Canada are contemplating embracing the brand new text-based app.
For years, Twitter has been a go-to supply for the media and the broader public to get real-time data from public authorities, particularly on conditions that influence safety.
Threads launched throughout a turbulent time for Twitter following its acquisition by billionaire Elon Musk, whose management has pressured some customers to look to various platforms.
Some Canadian authorities companies are already on Threads, however many others say they’re nonetheless contemplating opening an account.
Early adopters embrace police departments in Calgary and Edmonton.
Edmonton Police Division spokesperson Carolin Maran stated police “have a Threads account and are presently growing a technique for its continued use”, including that her Twitter accounts “will stay energetic”.
The RCMP additionally stated it was open to utilizing Threads, however for now sticking with its current platforms, together with Twitter, Fb, LinkedIn and Instagram, the product of Meta that Threads constructed.
“As a result of the footprint and attain of conventional media has been diminished, social media has been a really useful gizmo in that regard,” stated Marie-Eve Breton, a spokesperson for the RCMP.
“Nonetheless, as these instruments evolve and the foundations for utilizing them change, our communication methods with them must change.”
Firefighters and police departments in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal stated they’re evaluating Threads however haven’t got an account but.
Ahmed Al-Rawi, a communications skilled at Simon Fraser College, stated authorities companies releasing important, time-sensitive data face challenges as they rely too closely on social media, particularly given the dizzying coverage adjustments on some platforms.
On July 2, the BC Division of Transportation and Infrastructure was blocked from posting important route and journey data to its Twitter account in the course of the province’s wildfire season, as a result of it violated new guidelines limiting the variety of tweets.
“DriveBC on Twitter and its sub-accounts have exceeded the briefly imposed postage restrict,” the ministry tweeted.
Twitter finally restored DriveBC’s potential to submit public service updates.
The New York Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) suspended service updates in April after Twitter launched its tweet restrict.
The MTA finally returned to offering service updates after Twitter reversed course on its coverage of limiting posts by authorities or public organizations.
Al-Rawi stated that “Twitter is unquestionably unreliable.”
He added that social media stays a great tool to achieve sure demographics, however a broader communication technique continues to be wanted to achieve sure teams, particularly the aged.
“I nonetheless see the significance of being current on conventional TV, radio, newspapers and on-line as properly,” he stated.
This report from The Canadian Press was first printed on July 14, 2023
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