Thread by @digiphile

This the first official use of @Twitter’s new fleet feature by a mayor or governor that I’ve seen.
I don’t see a way to link to @MayorBowser’s fleets.

Will @Twitter archive fleets for @verified government accounts, @TwitterGov?

Any cities & states memorializing ephemeral media?

The fleets by @MayorBowser feature key links:
🔬DC’s coronavirus website for free at-home testing (!) & help with rent:
coronavirus.dc.gov/rent

🎁shopping local: ShopInTheDistrict.com

🍱ordering food: DCToGoGo.com

A reminder of how new features can have civic uses

In a sense, mayoral fleets about COVID testing, help with rent, holiday shopping, & food are fantastic: it’s meeting people where we are, online.

It’s using social media to connect us to services.

I talked with @carolynlawson about this a *decade* ago:

I feel like a grinch about wondering how mayoral fleets will be saved, but until Congress & legislatures step up, the companies that operate social media platforms should build & maintain a public interest file of updates from @verified politicians & governments on their services

Every time a social media platform or messaging app gets popular, politicians & officials figure out how to reach people there.

And every time, platforms which were not designed for political or government activity fail to build in disclosure & archiving.

Accountability holes.

If this sounds familiar, it’s because I wrote about this when @aoc became @RepAOC & showed the world how a Member of Congress could use Stories to connect with her constituents & the broader American public in extraordinary ways: gen.medium.com/the-government… @mosseri & co ignored me.

In sum, mayoral fleets are fine.

The Story format is cool.

But an ephemeral government message without a record isn’t.

In 2020, new features should roll out with expectations for preservation & access to the public statements of @verified officials in a public interest file.