Twitter turmoil worries official users

Long favored by government for its speed, it now seems vulnerable to imposters

Amid the slew of changes at one of the world’s most influential social media platforms, the public information officers who operate government Twitter accounts are cautiously waiting out the turmoil and urging the public to verify that it really is their accounts appearing on timelines.

For the people tasked with getting public safety information out to communities, they don’t only have to get information out quickly. On the new Twitter, they also have to convince people they are actually the authorities.

Government agencies, especially those tasked with sending messages during emergencies, have embraced Twitter for its efficiency and scope. Getting accurate information from authorities during disasters is often a matter of life or death.

For example, the first reports last week of a deadly shooting at the University of Virginia came from the college’s Twitter accounts that urged students to shelter in place.

Disasters also provide fertile ground for false information to spread online. Researchers like Jun Zhuang, a professor at the University of Buffalo, say emergencies create a “perfect storm” for rumors, but government accounts have also played a crucial role in batting them down.

The AP reviewed dozens of government agencies responsible for responding to emergencies from the county to the national level, and none had received an official label — denoted by a gray checkmark — by Friday.

Spoof accounts are a concern, Darren Noak, who helps run an account for Austin-Travis County emergency medical services in Texas, said, because they create “a real pain and a headache, especially in times of crisis and emergency.”

In the span of a week, Twitter granted gray checkmark badges to official government accounts — then rescinded them. It next allowed users to receive a blue checkmark through its $8 subscription services — then halted that offering after it spawned an infestation of imposter accounts.

Twitter laid off last weekend outsourced moderators who enforced rules against harmful content, further gutting its guardrails against misinformation.

Its support account posted, “To combat impersonation, we’ve added an ‘Official’ label to some accounts.”

Twitter’s changes could be deadly, warned Juliette Kayyem, a former homeland security adviser.

Twitter has become a go-to source of localized information in emergencies, she said. But imposter accounts could introduce a new level of misinformation — or disinformation when people intentionally try to cause harm — in urgent situations.

Some agencies are pushing audiences to other venues for information.

Local government websites are often the best place to turn for accurate, up-to-date information in emergencies, said April Davis, who works as a public affairs officer and digital media strategist at the Oregon Department of Emergency Management.

Imposter accounts could introduce a new level of misinformation — or disinformation when people intentionally try to cause harm — in urgent situations.