#alert: Twitter offers a disaster warning system

The platform microblogging launches disaster alert system usable by governments, NGOs and emergency services. The U.S., Japan and South Korea will be the first to use it.

Since its inception, Twitter has shown its usefulness repeatedly in case of natural disasters, terrorist attacks and others. We remember the terrorist attack in Mumbai in 2008 (166 dead) who showed the world the power of microblogging tool in such circumstances. Since then, the sharing of information with millions of subscribers has information on a lot of situations and has certainly helped to save lives. Also, the department decided to formalize this function for governments, aid agencies and NGOs to create a message shipping hashtag (keyword hash) # alert so that it is immediately displayed on the screens of Internet users who will subscribe to these notifications. # Alert messages will appear above any other application.

Gaby Penna Twitter product manager says, "we know how it is important to get reliable information in these circumstances. Twitter deliver accurate and reliable information when you need it most. "Already, the American Red Cross, the disaster management agency, the Department of Homeland Security and a total of forty national, regional or local organizations in the United States have already announced subscribe to this program. In Europe, the first NGO and WHO. Note that only organizations authorized may issue such hashtag.