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MTA suspends sharing service updates on 'unreliable' Twitter
By
Phil Corso
Published Apr 27, 2023
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Kristi Blokhin
By
Phil Corso
Published Apr 27, 2023
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MTA leadership is putting a muzzle on its Twitter account.
The MTA’s Acting Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara said the agency would be suspending its use of Twitter for subway and commuter rail service alerts, effective immediately, after the agency’s access to the social media platform was involuntarily interrupted twice in the last two weeks. In a statement, Rieara said those interruptions, paired with recent actions taken by Twitter to prioritize and verify accounts that sign up for its monthly paid subscription of Twitter Blue.
"The MTA does not pay tech platforms to publish service information and has built redundant tools that provide service alerts in real time," the statement said. "The MTA has terminated posting service information to Twitter, effective immediately, as the reliability of the platform can no longer be guaranteed."
Rieara pointed to in-house resources the MTA will continue to utilize going forward for customers seeking service alerts, including the agency's phone apps and web pages, along with email alerts and text messages.
"Service alerts are also available on thousands of screens in stations, on trains and in buses," Rieara said.
Twitter's terms and conditions have been in constant flux since Elon Musk purchased the platform last year, with users experiencing a sporadic shifting of verified checks and other account labeling features. Twitter recently labeled NPR, for example, as "state-affiliated media," to which the news outlet responded by leaving the platform altogether.
Twitter’s press office responded to a request seeking comment with a poop emoji.
Customers will still be able to tweet at, and with the MTA's Twitter accounts, including @nyct_subway, with any questions or concerns The MTA's main account will also remain active for what Rieara referred to as "branding and other messaging."
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Phil Corso
Phil Corso is the evening news editor at WNYC/Gothamist. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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