As tens of millions of people begin using Threads, Meta含羞草研究社檚 rival to Twitter, police and emergency response agencies across Canada are considering embracing the new text-based app.

For years, Twitter has been a go-to source for the media and the broader public to get real-time information from public agencies, especially on situations that impact safety.

Threads has launched during a turbulent time for Twitter following its takeover by billionaire Elon Musk, whose leadership has compelled some users to look for alternative platforms.

Some Canadian public agencies are already on Threads, but many others said they were still considering whether to launch an account.

The early adopters include police services in Calgary and Edmonton.

Edmonton Police Service spokesperson Carolin Maran said the force 含羞草研究社渉as a Threads account and is currently developing a strategy for its ongoing use,含羞草研究社� adding that its Twitter accounts 含羞草研究社渨ill remain active.含羞草研究社�

The RCMP also said it was open to using Threads, but was sticking for now with its existing platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram, the Meta-owned product that built Threads.

含羞草研究社淎s the footprint and reach of traditional media has been reduced, social media has been a very useful tool in that regard,含羞草研究社� said Marie-Eve Breton, an RCMP spokesperson.

含羞草研究社淗owever, as these tools evolve and rules governing their use change our communications strategies will need to change with them.含羞草研究社�

Firefighter and police agencies in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal said they are evaluating Threads, but do not yet have an account.

Ahmed Al-Rawi, a communications expert at Simon Fraser University, said public agencies releasing essential, time-sensitive information face challenges in relying too heavily on social media, especially given the dizzying policy changes on some platforms.

On July 2, the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure found itself blocked from posting essential route and travel information to its Twitter account during the province含羞草研究社檚 wildfire season, as it was in breach of new rules capping the number of tweets.

含羞草研究社淒riveBC on Twitter and its sub-accounts have exceeded the temporarily imposed post rate limit,含羞草研究社� the ministry tweeted.

Twitter ultimately restored DriveBC含羞草研究社檚 ability to post public service updates.

The New York Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) suspended service updates in April after Twitter introduced its tweet limit.

The MTA eventually returned to giving service updates after Twitter reversed course on its policy limiting posting by government or public organizations.

Al-Rawi said that 含羞草研究社淭witter is unreliable for sure.含羞草研究社�

He added that social media remains a useful tool for reaching certain demographics but a broader communications strategy is still necessary to reach certain groups, notably the elderly.

含羞草研究社淚 still see the importance of being also present on traditional TV, radio, newspapers and online,含羞草研究社� he said.

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