Earlier this week, the California Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert for a 14-year-old girl believed to be abducted, notifying residents in the Los Angeles area through a push notification. Instead of including crucial details directly in the notification, the alert directed users to a post on the agency’s official X account (formerly Twitter). This time, however, many individuals found themselves confronted with a login screen that prevented them from accessing the pertinent information unless they signed into their accounts.
The California Highway Patrol acknowledged the issue and is currently seeking clarification from X. “We’re looking into it,” said Sergeant Dan Keane, while X did not respond to inquiries regarding the incident.
Amber Alerts are crucial communications initiated by law enforcement to quickly locate children who are believed to be missing or in danger. The California Highway Patrol has been utilizing X since 2018 to disseminate these alerts, typically without issue. However, this recent occurrence has sparked frustration among residents on various social media platforms, including Reddit and Threads, where they expressed their anger at being unable to receive vital information during an emergency. Comments reflected feelings of outrage over the necessity of having an account to see key details about a potential abduction, with one user stating, “If that alert was for my child and tons of people couldn’t see it because they don’t have a stupid X account, I would be beyond infuriated.”
While some users reported being able to view the post without needing to log in, the overall extent of those impacted by X’s login requirement remains unclear. According to Pew Research Center, only 21% of US adults use X, suggesting that many may not even have the app installed.
The changes in X since Elon Musk’s takeover over two years ago have led to increased concern about the platform’s reliability for emergency alerts. The shift to requiring logins raises serious questions about accessibility and digital equity, as outlined by Amanda Lee Hughes, a computer science professor who studies emergency communication systems. “Everyone should be able to access life-critical information, regardless of whether they use a specific platform,” she emphasized.
This is not the first time such a barrier has arisen in relation to Amber Alerts on X. In July 2023, similar issues were reported in Missouri when the state’s highway patrol sent out an Amber Alert that also contained a link to an X post. Despite public outcry, the Missouri Highway Patrol did not cease using X for their alerts. The agency eventually resolved the login issue after X verified their account.
The California Highway Patrol has several verified X accounts, including one specifically for alerts; however, it appears not all of the agency’s accounts have this verification. Historically, X has served as a vital tool for emergency communications. Before locking content behind logins, the platform allowed anyone to view public posts without an account, making it a reliable resource during disasters and emergencies.
Reports from June 2023 indicated that X began restricting access to certain content, with Musk describing the measure as temporary due to data scraping issues. However, it seems the changes are here to stay, continuing to impede access to important information when it is needed most.
Despite these challenges, government agencies still rely on X to disseminate information, recognizing its extensive reach among users. The situation in California underscores the difficulties faced by organizations depending on platforms that may alter their policies unexpectedly, potentially hindering timely access to critical information in emergencies.
