MarienSenators post policy updates on Facebook. City representatives livestream their town halls on TikTok. The county office broadcasts emergencies on X. Mayoral offices are running Reels on Instagram.
Something feels seriously off about this. Officials are choosing to communicate with the public through private platforms owned by different companies, each with its own login, algorithm, and terms of service. It's subtly changed who's really in charge of our government's communications. And it's not the government.
Many government offices or officials already have (or should have) their own dedicated website. Every public communication should go through an open feed on that site, including press releases, announcements, public statements, emergency alerts, and anything else posted on social media.