It will not be used for political or campaign purposes and will be managed by government officials.Īnyone with a WhatsApp account can follow the new UK Government WhatsApp channel by searching for ‘UK Government’ in the ‘Updates’ section of the app and choosing to follow the account. The channel will be a publicly run information service, similar to gov.uk or official government social media accounts. The Government will also use the channel to share trusted and essential information from partner organisations like UK Health Security and Public Health England health alerts. New information on extra support the public can receive, like cost of living payments and government-linked discounts and other benefits Reiterating public health advice like announcing winter flu jabsĭeadline reminders like self-assessment tax return deadlines Users can expect to regular updates from across government on a weekly basis.įrom Tuesday followers of the UK Government WhatsApp channel will be notified that they can get discounted rail tickets from the Great British Rail SaleĮxamples of other UK Government channel posts include: Like any new communications method being used by Government - the UK Government channel will be continuously reviewed to ensure that it is being used effectively to provide timely and relevant information. We’re pleased that the UK Government is using WhatsApp Channels to give people in the UK better access to reliable information through the most private broadcast service available.Īs a trusted, verified account the UK Government channel will focus on reiterating important information which is relevant directly to the public in areas like updating on public services, news updates that affect a large part of the population or pointing to new guidance and public resources. Helen Charles, Director of Public Policy, WhatsApp at Meta, Europe said: We’re looking forward to seeing how people respond to this service and will develop it over time based on users’ feedback. WhatsApp is a hugely popular platform in the UK so we hope our new and entirely opt-in WhatsApp channel will be a useful way of providing people with updates from the government. We are always looking for new ways to communicate with the public. WhatsApp makes it clear that the channels are one-way only and users can opt in or out at any time.Ĭabinet Office Minister Alex Burghart said: WhatsApp Channels are used by a range of organisations, from news sites to football clubs and increasingly by Governments - providing single message alerts or updates to anyone subscribed to them. The Government has launched a new account on WhatsApp Channels, allowing members of the public to subscribe to receive important updates to their phones. Town crier announces launch of new communication channel outside Parliament. System is entirely opt-in and will amplify key messages like information on childcare support and cost of living payments. New WhatsApp Channel will communicate important information directly to people’s phones. Government rings in new WhatsApp Channel to provide helpful information to the public
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |