@POTUS: How the transition from power to social media will unfold

On Wednesday, Biden and his team will have access to a long list of official government accounts on major social media platforms, including the @POTUS Twitter account. At the touch of a button, the Biden administration will inherit a digital megaphone with the potential to give news and shape the public image of the U.S. government.

The transfer of these official accounts, which include not only those representing Biden and the White House, but almost all arms of government, has emerged as an important aspect of the broader transition of power, especially after Twitter became President Donald Trump’s favorite online platform. .

“It certainly has great symbolic value,” said David Lazer, a professor of political science and computer science at Northeastern University. “Twitter’s centrality in Trump’s brand and identity has made the moment much more meaningful.”

In addition to the @POTUS account, which was created during the Obama administration, Twitter will transfer @WhiteHouse, @VP, @FLOTUS and @PressSec to the new administration. Twitter also created a new account, @SecondGentleman, for the husband of Kamala Harris Vice President-elect Doug Emhoff.

It only marks the second such transition between Twitter between U.S. presidential administrations, which began in 2006. But unlike the transition four years ago, the Biden administration will not inherit tens of millions of dollars. followers of each account. Instead, Twitter people who previously followed the official White House Twitter accounts or who follow Biden or Harris’ “relevant” Twitter accounts will receive alerts to the app and other notifications about the filing process and the option to track new accounts, the company said in a blog post.

The decision prompted criticism from Biden’s camp, which said it “unnecessarily politicizes what would otherwise be a routine transfer of communication from one administration to the next.” Starting Tuesday night, the @POTUS account had about 33 million followers, while the @FLOTUS and @VP accounts had 16 million and 10 million, respectively.

The Twitter approach contrasts with other social networks such as Snapchat and YouTube, which said the Biden administration would keep current followers on their respective White House accounts.

Facebook and its Instagram subsidiary will transfer accounts to both platforms, such as the POTUS and FLOTUS Facebook pages and the White House Instagram account, to Biden’s team. These platforms will also duplicate followers on Facebook’s page and Joe Biden’s Instagram account on the official POTUS page and account.

Although Biden’s team may not inherit it all Twitter followers, will not start completely from scratch. @ Biden’s Transition46 account is enabled Twitter will become @WhiteHouse, the @PresElectBiden account will become @POTUS, @SenKamalaHarris will become @VP, @FLOTUSBiden will become @FLOTUS and @PressSecPsaki will become @PressSec.

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