Homeland Security to Issue Terror Warnings via Facebook & Twitter

Gone are the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s color-coded terror warnings. Two new types of warnings will take their place starting April 27, and they’ll be coming to you via Facebook andTwitter.

Instead of the five threat levels that were originally implemented as part of the Homeland Security Advisory System in 2001, now there will be just two levels — “Elevated” and “Imminent” — according to a Homeland Security plan draft obtained by the Associated Press. When the government determines that issuing a warning will risk exposing U.S. spies or their operations, there will be no warning at all.

The warnings will be issued far and wide but only “under certain circumstances for limited periods of time,” according to the AP. The newest twist is that the messages will also be available on Facebook and Twitter “when appropriate” and only after federal, state and local officials have been notified. There were no further details about how those warnings would be presented.

Commenters, what do you think of this new way of notifying us? Is it needlessly spreading fear or making it more likely that someone could stop terrorists before they do any damage?

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