Skip to main content

Photos: Government agencies say goodbye to social media … for now

The United States Congress did not reach an agreement on a budget, which caused all government services considered non-essential to shut down until an agreement is reached. And this shutdown is impacting the government’s online presence.

The government shutdown is a big deal, and it’s leaving people in the lurch in a real way. Even though services deemed essential continue to run, like the postal service and the military, a vast array of services are shuttered.And apart from the 800,000 employees losing their paychecks on furlough, the shutdown is interfering with programs some people rely on to live. Yes, Medicare continues, but people who currently need food stamps to eat sufficiently will face a serious obstacle. It’s a very real crisis, no matter how glib certain newscasters can get about it.  

So the radio silence from the social media accounts of government agencies is certainly a trivial side effect of the shutdown… but we’ll still miss tweets from NASA and Tumblr updates from the White House.

You can see their respective goodbyes in the slideshow above, and here’s a list of some of the best social media accounts you’ll have to go without until Congress yanks its collective head out of its butt. 

NASA’s Twitter account and Instagram accounts

NASA’s Instagram account just made its debut, too! If you want cool space stuff in your Twitter feed though, try following bad ass Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield during this difficult time.

The Curiosity Rover’s Twitter account

Unfortunately, the Curiosity Rover, the spacecraft trawling Mars, is not actually sentient. Employees of NASA are in charge of its Twitter account, so it also went dark.

The National Zoo’s Amazing Panda Cam

Not quite sure how pandas were deemed non-essential. The National Zoo tweeted the sad, sad news that its glorious Panda Cam will not run during the shutdown.

The White House Tumblr

The White House won’t be reblogging any of you Tumblr users during the shutdown.

Facebook and Twitter pages of the National Parks

No more pretty updates from Yosemite or the Statue of Liberty. And no visiting them IRL, either.

The Federal Trade Commission’s social media presence

Seems a little dry to follow the FTC on Facebook, but for those of you who do, you’re out of luck during the shutdown.

FAFSA’s Twitter Feed

You’re still on the hook to pay your student loans during the government shutdown, but don’t try to tweet the Federal Student Aid about it. They’re not responding.

Kate Knibbs
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kate Knibbs is a writer from Chicago. She is very happy that her borderline-unhealthy Internet habits are rewarded with a…
This Norweigian Airbnb is the fairy-tale retreat of your childhood dreams
airbnb in gudbrandsdalen noraway air 1

Airbnb recently added its 4 millionth listing worldwide -- for perspective sake, that ungodly number is more than the combined listings of the top five hotel chains. Needless to say, with this much real estate there are plenty of options to choose from, to say the least. We've covered a number of dreamy Airbnbs over the years and this latest listing in the Land of the Midnight Sun should be on your wanderlust bucket list. If you've ever wanted to stay in a 17th-century Norwegian guesthouse, you're in luck.

Nestled in the quaint town of Gudbrandsdalen, Norway, the Nordigard Blessom is situated on a sprawling, functional 17th-century sheep farm that has been maintained continuously by the Blessom family for several hundreds of years. A series of 16th- and 17th-century wooden loghouses pepper the property as well as a livestock barn.

Read more
A faithful satellite drifts stunningly close: The best supermoon photos
best supermoon photos moon 2

From the first total solar eclipse to grace the continental United States in nearly 40 years to the recent Leonids meteor shower, we earthlings have been spoiled with a regular collection of astronomical events this 2017. And although the year may be coming to an end, the awe-inspiring events just kept coming over the weekend. Recently, skywatchers had the opportunity to take in a rare supermoon overhead -- the first and last supermoon of this year. Above, we curated a list of some of the best supermoon photos snapped around the globe but what exactly is a supermoon?

Rather than a perfect circle, the moon orbits around our home planet in an elliptical pattern and one full orbit around our planet takes roughly 29.5 days. Depending on the moon's location on this elongated orbital trajectory, our faithful natural satellite is sometimes closer or farther away from our planet. At the closest point of this orbit (perigee), the moon is a more than 31,000 miles closer to our planet than it is during its farthest point of orbit (apogee).

Read more
With its starburst design, the Joshua Tree Residence thwarts sand and spectators
Joshua Tree Residence

With its futuristic build and opaque exterior, Whitacker Studio’s Joshua Tree Residence is a diamond in the California rough. Architect James Whitaker designed the structure using a series of shipping containers arranged in a clever starburst formation. Even though the design may look a bit chaotic, it was intentional, as each container was positioned to provide privacy for residents.

The privacy is an essential part of the interior, which is minimalist and filled with natural light. Despite the asymmetrical design of the private residence, there is an openness to it, namely due to the open living area located in the heart of the home. This privacy aspect also extends to the back of the home, which features a secluded deck that's built into a cove of rocks, thus providing protection from the desert winds.

Read more