Nerv, the specialized Japanese emergency notification service providing critical alerts during natural disasters, expressed strong disapproval over the disruption of its communication on the “X” platform. This incident occurred shortly after the Ishikawa earthquake struck Japan amidst New Year celebrations.
The service clarified that its ability to post tweets on the “X” platform was disabled after it rapidly shared a series of updates regarding the earthquake, which registered a significant 7.6 magnitude on the Richter scale. This resulted in surpassing the platform’s daily tweet limit.
Taking the matter to the public in English, Nerv urged users to download its smartphone applications from both the Android and iOS stores. This would enable them to access the latest information, updates, and stay informed about ongoing developments in real-time.
After a three-hour inability to post, Nerv revealed that the platform’s team had initiated contact to resolve the issue. The service’s accounts were registered on the platform as “Public Utility,” exempting them from the maximum posting limit.
Despite these efforts, users remained discontented with “X” platform policies, which potentially compromised access to critical information during the destructive earthquake in Japan. Users found it challenging to receive vital updates from the emergency service Nerv through their “X” accounts.
It’s noteworthy that Nerv has been actively providing real-time updates on the “X” platform during natural disasters since 2011, particularly during the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, which claimed the lives of nearly 20,000 people.
The Japanese-language account of the service on “X” boasts over 2.2 million users.
The hindrance faced by Nerv in posting on its “X” account stems from the social media platform’s decision to limit free developer access to its platform data through APIs since the previous year. This shift followed the introduction of paid packages starting from $100 per month, allowing developers to publish around 100 tweets daily. However, this posting limit proved inadequate for an account associated with an emergency service delivering crucial updates during natural disasters.
Nerv’s management informed Unseen Japan that they chose not to subscribe to the monthly $5,000 “X” package. Instead, they emphasized the importance of focusing on improving their smartphone application and making greater investments in enhancing their servers connected to the decentralized social communication protocol, ActivityPub.
In line with changes announced last year, accounts affiliated with government entities or public services were expected to be exempt from the developer restrictions on platform API usage. However, reports from a Japanese site confirmed that numerous accounts linked to Japanese government institutions had their posting abilities restricted after tweeting during natural disasters.
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