Some of the latest changes at Twitter have made emergency services reconsider how to get their alerts out.
Twitter's
new rules limit the number of automated tweets an account can send out
without paying. Over the past week, Twitter has cut off the public
service accounts of prominent agencies that people rely on for updates.
- The
National Weather Service, the New York Metropolitan Transportation
Authority, and Bay Area Rapid Transit have all seen their accounts shut
down recently.
- Emergency responders are trying to emphasize
that Twitter isn't the only place for people to find updates and,
because of the new rules, it is an unreliable source.
- Twitter's API service now lets users post 1,500 tweets per month for free.
- A Basic tier that allows for 3,000 tweets per month costs $100 per month.
- New policies limit accounts to 50 automated tweets per day.
