Biden administration uses Reddit for hurricane updates
Reddit is being used by the White House to update the public on its response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, a move aimed at reaching a broader audience across unconventional social media platforms.
The White House has surprised many by using Reddit to communicate its response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, with posts appearing in subreddits like r/NorthCarolina and r/Georgia. Although government updates are more commonly shared on platforms like Instagram and X, the Biden administration has taken a new approach with Reddit to reach a broader and more engaged audience.
The US White House’s Reddit account, ‘whitehouse,’ was confirmed to be legitimate by Reddit’s Gina Antonini, who also mentioned the account’s “Official” badge as part of Reddit’s Pro program. Interestingly, the account’s creation date was 7 January 2021, raising questions about whether it had been used before. While some posts initially faced moderation issues, they were later restored as the federal government continues to explore innovative ways to engage with the public.
Deputy Director of Platforms Megan Coyne shared on X that the Reddit account was launched for this purpose. This marks a shift in how the government communicates with citisens, using more unconventional platforms to provide real-time updates on emergencies.
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