Three federal agencies — the National Park Service, the EPA and now NASA — have allegedly launched unofficial “protest” accounts on Twitter in defiance of the Trump team’s directives to not blog, tweet or talk to the news media about climate changes issues. While it’s not unusual for a new administration to want to control the message, many bristle at what they see as an administration that wants to redefine and control scientific fact.
That brings us to these accounts. Are they really created by NASA and other government employees or are they the work of ticked off science advocates not connected to the agencies? In at least one case earlier this week in Badlands National Park, a former employee posted this unauthorized tweet:
“Today, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is higher than at any time in the last 650,000 years.” The tweet was later removed.
The @RogueNASA Twitter account uses NASA’s logo — a no-no unless you have specific permission. The site describes itself as “the unofficial “Resistance” team of NASA. Not an official NASA account. Follow for science and climate news and facts. REAL NEWS, REAL FACTS.”
NASA’s very strict about how it’s logo is used. Under Media Usage Guidelines, here’s what the agency has to say:
“The NASA insignia logo (the blue “meatball” insignia), the retired NASA logotype (the red “worm” logo) and the NASA seal may not be used for any purpose without explicit permission. These images may not be used by persons who are not NASA employees or on products, publications or web pages that are not NASA-sponsored. These images may not be used to imply endorsement or support of any external organization, program, effort, or persons.”
Moreover, NASA reported that it had not given permission for another group or person to use its logo on the new account. While the sites may be legit and you and I sympathetic to the cause, exercise skepticism when poking around these accounts. Be cautious of opening up or downloading files the same way you’re careful with e-mail attachments. Take a look, participate, but be wary.
For your perusal, the current “alt science” sites I’m aware of are listed below. My hunch after looking at them is that it’s possible they may have been created by the same group of people. Whatever their origin, they’re quickly becoming very popular. As of Wednesday evening (Jan. 25), Rogue NASA has 209,000 followers; AltEPA 41,600 and 883,000 at AltUSNatParkService.
* AltUSNatParkService
* AltEPA
* Rogue NASA
* AltNASA
For more on the new administration and NASA, check out Nancy Atkinson’s story “Could NASA Be Muzzled Under Trump Administration?”
Given the hiring freeze and desire to reduce the ranks, this might give the feds an excuse to rid themselves of troublesome employees.
By “troublesome” do you mean the ones who understand what the facts are?
It’s all part of the plan to reduce that 42% unemployment rate. :\
This should not really surprise anyone, scientist want to sure their findings so the public can make an informed decision. Also fond it funny the same party who had candidates going rogue in previous elections have this happen to them.
It goes beyond scientific research. These schmucks are putting up blocks to fee speech an removing access to vital information. I’ll refrain from using the “N’ but Trump’s people are following that playbook to the letter, the best they can. This isn’t about money. This isn’t about money. It’s about the ability to share facts!
Some parts of the media are in financial difficulty, so this article needs to be transferred to Yahoo as clickbait.
Totally disagree here, chfo. This is legitimate news — more people need to know about scientists’ reactions to Trump’s directives.
Thanks, Bob.
As an astronomer and member of the LGBTQ world, I’m enraged by what is happening.
Amendment I:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. 🙂
Enraged but not surprising. This is just the beginning.
Science (they really mean climate change) may not be a partisan issue, but the ‘solutions’ proposed most certainly are, and its the ‘solutions’ that get people’s backs up given that the most politically favored solutions are massively expensive, or authoritarian in nature.
Oh thanks. As if every other website I go to wasn’t already pumping anti-Trump stories out the ying yang. Now I get to see social justice nuts messing around with NASA. A dark day for the integrity the organization, and a really stupid move to go after people who have such a strong say in how you are funded. Big fail NASA.
I think I’m going to hurl… No… I KNOW I’m going to hurl. The attacks by the admin. on net neutrality worries me greatly. The further push for denial of scientific facts regarding global warming are inexcusable. The directed assault on the environmental movement is obscene and packed with half truths and down right lies. Today apparently, ‘Stupid’ is the rule.
I believe that there is simply to much “politicization” of our “science based” governmental agencies; and the ensuing losses of diverse opinions having an equal place and voice has been detrimental to the overall integrity of the organizations. This process has been going on for many years and crosses several changes in Washington leadership.
What is interesting is how these organizations are reacting to the current newly installed leadership compared to previous “changing of the guard.” When the Shuttle and other programs were killed, and various funding streams cut and diverted to other purposes, I don’t remember there being this extreme type of responses. If there had been opposition abusing an agencies symbols so as to look quasi authentic the perpetrators would have been sanctioned and ordered to cease and desist the breaking of copy right and related laws.
It appears the roles of scientific purity have warped into a state of scientific role diffusion. Now injecting confounding variables and manipulations to reach a predetermined end, rather than allowing our sciences to move purely to our hypothesis and support or not of theory.
Get back to your important work and don’t let politics effect your research. JMHO
Amen!
If you work for NASA and disagree with Trump, it’s time to take your services to the private sector and make real money. Oh, you can’t find a job in the private sector? Think about that situation. If you only value your services to NASA, you need more education (second PHD?) to expand. My income producing years were short. But I have never worked directly for the government. I thought about working 1099 for the government but just could not pull the trigger. Many many private sector jobs that pay seven figures or higher are open to me (even if for a short time).
You have to understand that Trump does not deny Global Warming. He even has a daughter that is working with Scientists to support that fact. What he does doubt and it hasn’t been proved is that man is 100% responsible for Global Warming. It’s been warmer here on Earth since man has crawled out of caves and barely started societies. There was nothing man did to warm up the planet Earth to make Greenland a suitable place to grow crops to feed a village. So cycles and natural effects are the premiere reasons for our environment changing. With what ever China is now adding to the equation. Go over there and complain about Global Warming. Protest in Tiananmen Square and see where that leads. If you thing man has anything to do with Global Warming, protest against countries that are leading in environmental pollution. When the air is so dirty you can’t see 1/2 mile in front of you, you know it’s bad. Nowhere in the USA is pollution that bad.
If you think man is responsible, work on making cheap alternatives for the near poverty stricken in the US to use. If you say driving a car is bad, use a bus. Then you will 100% be looked at as a fool as you pull out of your driveway in that huge SUV. If the alternative is not 100% something you would use everyday for everything, don’t lay it on others to use.