President Donald Trump’s preferred method of spreading conspiracy theories and propaganda has also become a battlefield for the resistance.
Forget “alternative facts” and media blackouts. The war on science will be fought on Twitter.
After the Trump administration banned numerous government agencies from speaking to the public, many are going rogue and setting up alternative accounts to share real facts on climate change and science.
Looks like the Trump administration hasn't taken control of the @NatlParkService Twitter feed just yet. pic.twitter.com/dCKGHoW0cU
— Binyamin Appelbaum (@BCAppelbaum) January 20, 2017
Some of these Twitter accounts were started by employees of federal agencies, before being passed on to people who do not work for the government. The alternative National Parks Service account wrote the move was "for the sake of our colleagues."
We have decided to pass over control of this account to individuals outside of government employment for the sake of our colleagues.
— AltUSNatParkService (@AltNatParkSer) January 26, 2017
The ban — and resistance — started with the National Parks Service. After Trump’s inauguration, the agency retweeted a side-by-side photo comparing Friday’s celebration with the 2009 inauguration of President Barack Obama.
Shortly after, the tweet was deleted, and the Department of the Interior banned the NPS from using their Twitter accounts “until further notice.”
By Saturday, the account resumed tweeting, and the NPS apologized for the “mistaken RTs.”
We regret the mistaken RTs from our account yesterday and look forward to continuing to share the beauty and history of our parks with you pic.twitter.com/mctNNvlrmv
— NationalParkService (@NatlParkService) January 21, 2017
The battle escalated Monday when Badlands National Park began tweeting climate change facts.
“Several tweets posted on the Badlands National Park’s Twitter account today were posted by a former employee who was not currently authorized to use the park’s account,” a National Parks official told Buzzfeed News. “The park was not told to remove the tweets but chose to do so when they realized that their account had been compromised.”
Golden Gate Park also joined in on the action, sharing facts about climate change.
2016 was the hottest year on record for the 3rd year in a row. Check out this @NASA & @NOAA report: https://t.co/rLJUC56xqi pic.twitter.com/AKhFzYw6l6
— Golden Gate NPS (@GoldenGateNPS) January 23, 2017
That same day, @AltNatParkSer was born. More than 657,000 people had followed the account by Wednesday afternoon.
Can't wait for President Trump to call us FAKE NEWS.
— AltUSNatParkService (@AltNatParkSer) January 25, 2017
You can take our official twitter, but you'll never take our free time!
An alternate account for Badlands National Park also joined the fray, amassing nearly 50,000 followers.
The intellectual equivalent of having kindergarteners grade an @MIT thesis. #AlternativePeerReview #science @ActualEPAFacts https://t.co/GeBAjVwBuk
— BadHombreLands NPS (@BadHombreNPS) January 25, 2017
Unofficial accounts for NASA and the Environmental Protection Agency have also joined the movement, actively fighting this administration’s anti-science agenda.
If posting facts and news to Twitter from a rogue account is what we have to do for the next four years, count us in. #resist
— Rogue NASA (@RogueNASA) January 25, 2017
Science deniers are dangerous. The impact of climate change is real. There are consequences for infrastructure and human life. #resist
— Rogue NASA (@RogueNASA) January 25, 2017
17,000+ human beings work for @EPA. Our voices work.
— AltEPA (@ActualEPAFacts) January 25, 2017
Trump administration tells EPA to cut climate page from website: sources https://t.co/fCwY0zcT2Y via @Reuters
— AltEPA (@ActualEPAFacts) January 25, 2017
While Trump can continue to enact policies to destroy our environment over the next four years, these badass scientists are making damn sure he can’t cover it up. Follow along with the resistance by following our list of uncensored science accounts on Twitter.
Update: This story has been updated to reflect the alternative National Parks Service account has been passed to non-federal employees.
Shayla Brooks is a San Diego-based journalist who loves breaking news, social media, and her cat Zelda.
comments
Use a Facebook account to add a comment, subject to Facebook's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your Facebook name, photo & other personal information you make public on Facebook will appear with your comment.