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State Supreme Court Goes “Social”

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The state’s highest court is using social networking to alert people about decisions and rulings.  The Pennsylvania  Supreme Court has established a Twitter feed to provide quick notification of new orders, rules, opinions and statements written by the justices.

Art Heinz, communications coordinator for the administrative office of PA Courts, says it’s part of the court’s commitment to provide information and access to court proceedings and documents. He says the feed will give followers an alert when a decision has been issued by the court.  The reader can click on the link and the ruling will come up.

Heinz says the court is keenly aware that the way people receive information now is changing rapidly.  He says Twitter is a widely recognized vehicle for providing these information alerts. He says the court is always interested in improving access to court documents in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

The Twitter feed is not a two way communication method.  People who have questions should visit the comment section at the Pennsylvania judiciary’s web site.

Anyone can sign up to receive alerts at twitter.com by entering supremectofpa.

Survey Shows Social Media Being Used More Often When Disaster Strikes

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A new survey shows Americans are relying more on social media and texting when disaster strikes.   “Get Ready,  America!, the National Hurricane Survival Initiative, has released a survey that shows social media and texting are becoming the leading ways people will communicate in a disaster. 

The Sachs/Mason-Dixon commissioned poll found 72% of Americans are members of a social network. 45% of them say they’d rely on it to communicate with friends and family in a disaster and another 24% say they might.

There are some demographic differences. Social media is more prevalent among younger Americans, with 91% of those 18 to 34 connected. 63% of those respondents said they would use those platforms to communicate in a disaster.

For people ages 35 to 59, 75% said they use social media and 44% of them would use it to communicate in a disaster.

Ryan Duffy, managing director of Sachs Digital, says they’re recommending everyone have a mobile phone as part of their disaster kit.  

Duffy says cell phone companies look for areas hardest hit by natural disasters and bring in Cell on Wheels units to provide access if there’s a downed cell phone tower.

Duffy says it really can save a life if you have the right information.  He believes it’s worth everyone’s while to follow local emergency service agencies on Facebook or Twitter and to have a greater sense of awareness when disaster strikes.

ReadyPA is currently on Facebook. The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency is still reviewing Twitter.