In light of the recent severe storm that impacted North Holland, Dutch lawmakers and a notable digital rights organization have voiced concerns about the use of Twitter for disseminating critical emergency information. The situation arose when citizens were advised to check the platform for updates during the storm’s aftermath.
“It raises significant concerns that the government relies on Twitter for communicating essential alerts,” commented the office of lawmaker Nico Drost in a statement sent to Reuters, highlighting issues related to accessibility, accountability, and the platform’s reliability.
Efforts to contact Twitter for a statement were unsuccessful.
The storm, marked as the most severe summer weather event on record in the Netherlands, resulted in at least one fatality and destruction of numerous trees in the province that encompasses Amsterdam.
As wind speeds exceeded 120 kilometers per hour (75 miles per hour), the national emergency alert service issued a notification urging residents of North Holland to remain indoors and follow updates from the regional fire department’s Twitter account.
Politicians and the digital rights group Bits of Freedom criticized this approach, underscoring that Twitter is a private entity. They pointed out that the government maintains designated websites for crisis communication that could be employed instead.
“Utilizing Twitter is absurd,” remarked Bits of Freedom spokesperson Ber Engels, who raised concerns about the potential for misinformation and highlighted the difficulties faced by users without accounts when trying to access crucial information. He noted that recent changes at Twitter include limitations on tweet visibility for non-subscribers.
“One might encounter a tweet containing valuable information from emergency services, but it could be overshadowed by ten tweets prioritized by Twitter that spread falsehoods,” he added.
The Twitter account operated by the regional fire department is not verified, and its latest message directs users to a live blog on the City of Amsterdam’s official website.
Inquiries directed to Twitter’s communication account went unanswered. An email sent to the press contact resulted in an automatic response featuring a poop emoji, aligning with a quirky announcement made earlier this year by CEO Elon Musk.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
