Page 24 - ARUBA TODAY

A24 TECHNOLOGY
Thursday 12 March 2020
Census Bureau site goes live as counting begins in earnest

By MIKE SCHNEIDER The online approach to
Associated Press answering the 2020 census
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The questions causes Demo-
2020 census is off and run- cratic U.S. Rep. Karen Bass
ning for much of America of California, to worry it will
now. lead to an undercount of
The U.S. Census Bureau blacks and other minorities
made a soft launch of the in hard-to-count communi-
2020 census website on ties.
Monday, making its form "Having the census online
available online. On Thurs- can be a way of continu-
day, the Census Bureau will ously undercounting the
begin mailing out notices black population," Bass
far and wide. said last week.
For the bureau, the once- Perhaps the most atten-
a-decade head count tion given the 2020 census
is akin to running a sprint over the past several years
and marathon at the same has been to the failed ef-
time. It takes awhile, but fort by the Trump adminis-
there's plenty of action tration to put a citizenship
throughout. question on the form. The
"It is that intense ... count- U.S. Supreme Court reject-
ing up to 330 million people This photo provided by the U.S. Census 2020, shows the homepage of the United States' Census ed those efforts, but some
in a very diverse, very mo- 2020 website on Tuesday, March 10, 2020. worry that lingering un-
bile population, and over Associated Press ease may scare off some
140 million housing units," Hispanics and immigrants
Stephen Buckner, a senior site from his desktop com- whose department over- For the past three years, from participating.
Census Bureau executive, puter Monday after it went sees the Census Bureau, the Government Account- "It's a challenge every 10
said during a recent visit to live and filled out the form said the emphasis on get- ability Office has placed years to get any Ameri-
Miami. in about two minutes, using ting people to respond on- the census on its list of high- can to fill out the census.
The bureau had an official his address instead of an ID line is minimizing physical risk programs, mainly be- ... Some people are fearful
in-person launch in Janu- number. contact that could spread cause it is relying on tech- of giving the government
ary in Toksook Bay, Alaska. "It could not have been the virus. nology that has not been more information," said
Mail service is spotty and easier," said Bagga, who "We will just have to play it used before. Last month, U.S. Democratic Rep. Joa-
internet connectivity is un- is deputy director of NYC by ear," Ross said. "We are the bureau decided to use quin Castro of Texas. "But
reliable in remote Alaska, Census 2020, the outreach ready to make responses a backup data-collection every 10 years, that chal-
making door-to-door can- initiative started by New and we will deal with the system for handling the on- lenge has been especially
vassing the best way to York Mayor Bill de Blasio. situation as it evolves." line responses after officials tough in minority commu-
gather responses. About 80% of households This week also poses the grew concerned that the nities, who sometimes are
There has been a U.S. cen- receiving mailings will get first true test of the Census primary system would not more disconnected from
sus every decade since notices about how to an- Bureau's new IT systems for be able to handle exces- government than other
1790. The results determine swer the questions online, capturing online responses. sive traffic. communities."q
how many congressional and about 20% of house-
seats each state gets and holds automatically will Twitter preps ephemeral tweets, starts
how $1.5 trillion in federal receive a paper ballot if
spending is distributed. there are large numbers testing in Brazil
The 2020 census is the first of seniors in their neighbor-
in which most people are hood or levels of internet
being encouraged to an- connectivity are low. By BARBARA ORTUTAY Twitter is hoping that by offering
swer the questions online, Census workers won't begin AP Technology Writer disappearing tweets, people will be
though people can still an- going door-to-door in ear- SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Twitter is starting more likely to share casual, everyday
swer the questionnaire by nest until May, when they'll to test tweets that disappear after 24 thoughts — and to do so more often.
telephone or by mailing approach homes that hours, although initially only in Brazil. The new feature is reminiscent of
back a paper form if they haven't responded and The company says the ephemeral Instagram and Facebook “stories” and
prefer. ask the questions in person. tweets, which it calls “fleets” because Snapchat’s snaps, which let users post
The notices mailed out start- Bureau officials are moni- of their fleeting nature, are designed short-lived photos and messages. Such
ing this week will include a toring the spread of the to allay the concerns of new users who features are increasingly popular with
census ID that matches ad- novel coronavirus, which might be turned off by the public and social-media users looking for smaller
dresses. People filling out could disrupt the door-to- permanent nature of normal tweets. groups and and more private chats.
the form via the internet door phase. If there is a Fleets can’t be retweeted and they But Twitter often serves a different function
are encouraged to use the major disaster, such as an won’t have “likes.” People can respond than Instagram or Facebook, operating
ID, but those who answer epidemic, census workers to them, but the replies show up as direct not only as a basis for conversation but
the questions online before instead can drop off the messages to the original tweeter, not as as a platform for politicians and other
getting their IDs still will be questionnaires at homes, a public response, turning any back- public figures. Disappearing tweets
counted. with the hope that people and-forth into a private conversation could make it harder to hold such
"The best user experience is will respond on their own, instead of a public discussion. people accountable, monitor their posts
provided with a Census ID," according to the bureau's Despite having high-profile users such and fact-check them.
the bureau said in a state- operational plan. as President Donald Trump, Twitter has Social media services often test new
ment Monday evening. Testifying before a U.S. lagged behind other tech powerhouses features in smaller markets before
Some people couldn't House appropriations sub- like Facebook and Google in terms of bringing them to the U.S. and elsewhere
wait. Amit Bagga jumped committee on Tuesday, user growth and advertising revenue. — if they do so at all.q
on the Census Bureau web- U.S. Secretary Wilbur Ross,