Kate StarbirdJul 2, 2023
In ~2014, my colleague & I argued that social media (esp. Twitter) had become part of the critical infrastructure of disaster response. People were turning to Twitter during crises to share information about impacts and resources. Disaster responders were using the data shared there for situational awareness, and were communicating in real-time with their constituents. Today’s events underscore just how dangerous it is for society to come to rely on private platforms as critical infrastructure.
Show threadJohnMashey
@katestarbird
Minor nit:
suggest "rely on private platforms" => ""rely on unregulated private platforms".
After all, for many decades, Bell System telephony was a heavily-regulated private platform monopoly ... with stringent rules about reliability and service, and a shared goal of Universal Service, even as that meant urban/suburban subsidizing rural.
Jul 2, 2023 at 5:01amWeb
Show threadKate StarbirdJul 2, 2023
@JohnMashey Good point! I think we argued in that paper that because Twitter and other social media were becoming part of critical infrastructure, regulation was needed … among other things to make sure under-resourced audiences weren’t excluded from them- and safety- information, but there are so many more points of rationale I’d add if we were rewriting that today.
Show threadJohnMasheyJul 2, 2023
@katestarbird
Also, if a resource becomes critical, regulation has to incorporate the extra $ to allow disaster survivability/rapid recovery.
For example: while I was at Bell Labs, this disaster occurred & it took a massive effort to fix quickly:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_New_York_Telephone_exchange_fire
1975 New York Telephone exchange fire - Wikipedia

Show threadJohnMasheyJul 2, 2023
@katestarbird And if you haven't read this recent book, it bears strongly on the issues of free-market fundamentalism & regulation:
https://www.amazon.com/Big-Myth-American-Business-Government-ebook/dp/B0B55F4XBY
Show threadDale, The CornflowerJul 2, 2023
@JohnMashey @katestarbird In Canada some provinces have Crown Corporations for critical utilities and infrastructure. That is, where conservative governments haven't sold them off. Even then most have heavy regulations surrounding emergencies.
Show threadJohnMasheyJul 2, 2023
@the_Cornflower @katestarbird
Agreed, I’ve seen that, having visited Canada ~40 times.
For a given function, there are always legitimate arguments over balance between private and government entities, and if govt, which level handles it and how, having worked at both extremes!
(Bell Labs was part of huge regulated monopoly; Silicon Valley microprocessor wars of 1980s-1990s were ferocious private competitive battles with little govt influence.)