BBC: Biden Twitter account ‘starts from zero’ with no Trump followers. “US president-elect Joe Biden has been given his new official presidential Twitter account, but has been forced to start it with zero followers. The Biden campaign is unhappy with the move, which marks a change from the previous transition from Barack Obama.”
News-Medical: Study: Words should match the pictures when broadcasting social media safety messages. “When using social media to nudge people toward safe and healthy behaviors, it’s critical to make sure the words match the pictures, according to a new study. After looking at social media posts, parents of young children were better able to recall […]
NPR: Black Doctors Use Social Media To Share Accurate Information About COVID-19 Vaccine. “About a quarter of the American public is hesitant to get a COVID-19 vaccine. That number goes up to a third of Black Americans, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll last month. The hesitancy is rooted in real mistreatment and fanned […]
WCSH: Maine DHHS launches text notifications to people testing positive for COVID-19. “The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) announced Wednesday the launch of a new text messaging service to alert Maine people who test positive for COVID-19 of steps to take to protect their health and limit the spread of the virus, […]
NPR: Mask Up! How Public Health Messages Collide With Facebook’s Political Ads Ban. “Facebook halted political advertising after polls closed on Election Day. With votes being counted, President Donald Trump and his supporters spread false claims and conspiracy theories about the results. But nearly two months later, the Electoral College has affirmed Joe Biden’s victory […]
Business Insider: Holograms, hashtags and hand sanitizer: here’s how fine art museums are dealing with the pandemic – aided by stimulus efforts and wealthy backers. “As California shifted back into a pandemic lockdown, San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art was forced last weekend to close its doors yet again. But the shutdown hadn’t stopped it […]
ABC News (Australia): Federal Government used Google Translate for COVID-19 messaging aimed at multicultural communities. “Critical public health messages by the Commonwealth about the coronavirus pandemic were bungled amid revelations bureaucrats used Google Translate to communicate with multicultural communities. The decision by the Department of Home Affairs has been revealed in documents obtained by the […]
Inside Edition: How Musicians Are Doing Things Differently to Encourage People to Vote Amid COVID-19. “As the clock ticks down closer to Election Day, more and more musicians are encouraging their fans to get out and vote. While musicians encouraging fans to vote is nothing new, this year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, things will […]
Associated Press: Black churches mobilizing voters despite virus challenges. “In recent election cycles, Black church congregations across the country have launched get-out-the-vote campaigns commonly referred to as ‘souls to the polls.’ To counteract racist voter suppression tactics that date back to the Jim Crow era, early voting in the Black community is stressed from pulpits […]
CNET: Snapchat says it’s helped over 1 million people register to vote. “The popular app, known for its disappearing messages and face filters, estimates 56% of the people it helped register this year are first-time voters and nearly 65% are between 18 and 24. For the 2020 election, Snapchat parent company Snap said it’s created […]
University of Washington: Who’s tweeting about scientific research? And why?. “Scientists candidly tweet about their unpublished research not only to one another but also to a broader audience of engaged laypeople. When consumers of cutting-edge science tweet or retweet about studies they find interesting, they leave behind a real-time record of the impact that taxpayer-funded […]
Hyperallergic: Guerrilla Girls and Julie Mehretu Among 60+ Artists Helping You “Plan Your Vote”. “A new, nonpartisan initiative launched by the nonprofit Vote.org seeks to channel the power of art to encourage voter participation. Along with links to register to vote, check absentee status, and set voting reminders, among other crucial resources, the ‘Plan Your […]
Philadelphia Inquirer: ‘Ya Fav Trashman’ gives an inside look at Philly trash pickup on Instagram and the city is listening. “As the controversy over delays in Philadelphia’s trash collection began to mount in June, sanitation worker Terrill Haigler heard residents’ anguished and, (this is Philly) sometimes angry, cries about the garbage piling up on city […]
GCN: The power and danger of social media for law enforcement. “Social media can help spread information rapidly to community members, which can be useful during public safety emergencies and natural disasters. It can also reduce the time it takes for first responders to get the important information they need, such as location coordinates to […]
Phys .org: Teen museum educators increase engagement, learning, in tween visitors. “Do you want to get the most out of a museum and encourage your child’s interest in STEM? Try interacting with a teenaged museum docent. Research led by investigators from North Carolina State University and the University of Exeter in the U.K. has found […]