It all started with folks affiliated with the National Park Service going rogue amid President Donald Trump’s criticism of posts to the agency’s Twitter account. The Twitter account @AltNatParkService was created last week as a way to continue to have a voice without using the NPS’ official Twitter channel. More than 1 million followers later, it appears to be working.
Early this week, when USDA employees received an internal email that suspended the release of “public-facing documents,” including news releases and photos, concern over transparency reached critical level in the ag community.
Again, it appears as if Twitter is at least part of their solution.
Within the past day, alternative accounts for the USDA, the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, the EPA, and the FDA have been created. They bill themselves as their agency’s uncensored sources of content. They all have tens of thousands of followers already. Here’s just a sampling of their activist stances:
From @AltUSDA_ARS
Join the fight for research preservation! Join us in creating a record of downloads and screenshots. https://t.co/he0W61k0CC
— Alt USDA_ARS (@AltUSDA_ARS) January 26, 2017
From @AltUSDA
So it begins… #resist #keepscienceapolitical https://t.co/3QitmTwPbF
— AltUSDA (@altusda) January 25, 2017
From @AltFDA
2 days without a post on our main social accounts. We would like to bring you great news about food & drugs but…
— AltFDA (@alt_fda) January 25, 2017
From @altEPA
Hello. This is the Alternative Environmental Protection Agency Twitter Account activated to circumvent censorship.
— altEPA (@altUSEPA) January 25, 2017
Of course, we don’t know how this will play out in the long term, or if there will be any ramifications for those involved. But if your Twitter feed has been a little light on content as of late, check out what’s being posted in the alt-iverse.
