Are you on Twitter?
Now is the time to be, because Twitter just got more intense.
Twitter vs Trump
Taken as a sign of bold rebellion online against the new Trump administration, rogue accounts for several government agencies - including the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Park Service, and more recently, NASA - are popping up and trending on the popular networking site, Twitter.
The unofficial Twitter accounts, which are allegedly controlled by either active or retired employees of the agencies, have swiftly gained hundreds of thousands to millions of Twitter followers.
As of latest check, @ActualEPAFacts has close to 117,000 followers, @RogueNASA has nearly 474,000 followers, and @AltNatParkSer with a whopping 1.12 million followers and counting. From three, there are now 14 unofficial Twitter accounts circulating hashtags, such as #Resistance and #StandUpforScience.
Can't wait for President Trump to call us FAKE NEWS.
You can take our official twitter, but you'll never take our free time!
— AltUSNatParkService (@AltNatParkSer) January 25, 2017
Climate Change Gag Triggered Twitter Takeover
One of the many Twitter battles the new POTUS (and @realDonaldTrump) is facing, the Twitter takeover was sparked by several moves from the Trump administration limiting employees of various government agencies from sharing information, especially with regards to issues about science and climate change.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has since lifted a memorandum that initially called for scientists at its Agricultural Research Service unit not to discuss any of its work to the public. The ARS is the scientific research arm of the USDA, which delves into the crucial agricultural problems, including how to address the effects of long-term climate change.
"This internal email was released without Departmental direction, and prior to Departmental guidance being issued. ARS will be providing updated direction to its staff. ARS values and is committed to maintaining the free flow of information between our scientists and the American public," the USDA said.
Twitter Censorship Under Trump
Apparently, the USDA gag order is not an isolated case.
Staff of the U.S. Interior Department were instructed to stop using the microblogging site after one of its employees retweeted posts about the poor turnout of attendees at Trump's inauguration last week, and about how articles on climate change and civil rights have mysteriously vanished from the official White House website.
Other government employees have also confirmed receiving instructions from the new administration to take down specific webpages and limit their use of social networking sites.
President Donald Trump, a known climate change skeptic, has never hidden from the public that he believes climate change is a hoax and a ploy from China to sabotage the U.S. economy. He has recently vowed to quit the Paris climate agreement.
