The largely popular social media site stated it’s Twitter Alerts could be useful in natural disasters or other emergencies when traditional channels may be overloaded or unavailable.
“We know from our users how important it is to be able to receive reliable information during these
times,” Twitter product manager Gaby Pena said in a blog post. “Twitter Alerts is a new way to get
accurate and important information when you need it most.” Pena added.
“Today, we’re launching Twitter Alerts, a new feature that brings us one step closer to helping users get important and accurate information from credible organizations during emergencies, natural disasters or moments when other communications services aren’t accessible.”
Users who sign up to receive an account’s Twitter Alerts will receive a notification directly to their phone for tweets marked as alerts from certain senders.
Numerous organizations in the U.S., Japan and South Korea have been cleared to send such alerts, and Twitter will expand this to “public institutions and NGOs around the world.”
Some of those able to send alerts include the American Red Cross, Federal Emergency Management Agency, World Health Organization, and government and non-government agencies in Japan and South Korea.
