1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites

The state and social media

May 23, 2017

German police keep the public informed on emergency situations using Twitter. Postings on social media are becoming indispensable to the functioning of many government agencies. They're a direct line to citizens.

https://p.dw.com/p/2dRVF
DW Shift "Behördentwitter"
Image: ZDF

Berlin's police have their own social media department staffed with six officers who provide the citizens with information relating to their security. They also act quickly to counter false rumors. Postings keep the public informed on the progress of investigations, provide glimpses of police life and open lines of communication - direct and unbureaucratically.