Disasters seem to take place a lot these days, and in their aftermath we have seen a big shift toward using Social media. As illustrated during the Japan earthquake and tsunami, the Haiti earthquake, Hurricane Sandy, and countless other situations seen recently, survivors turn to Social media rather than the mainstream media to find out about the safety of their loved ones, dangers that still exist after the main event, as well as any other information that ordinary people are broadcasting. Also, Social media are used very effectively post-disaster, for fundraising for example. Nowadays, most people have access to the Social media on their handheld devices, therefore it’s only natural that they would access them during or following incidents.
Also Read: Twitter Pushes Emergency Alerts To Mobile Apps
Disaster management agencies are also learning to use Social media very well, to gain insight to a live view of what’s taking place “on the ground”, to warn of impending danger, to inform people, to dispel rumours, or simply to have better knowledge of the affected areas. The traditional view of disaster management has thus been called into question, and the old way of doing things simply does not cut it. Traditionally, something occurred and the source of all information about what happened, were the responders and government agencies, and nobody else really had a say about it. Now, everyone can report. So, Social media has become an important tool. Naturally, Social media have been known to spread a lot of disinformation as well, but I think it’s more a case of managing information and figuring out what is real and what is not. That in itself is a challenge, but it is not an impossible exercise.
The following infographic released by the University of San Francisco’s Online MA of Public Administration course gives us more insight into how Social media have been used in some recent disasters and their aftermaths.
Related Stories:
- Twitter Pushes Emergency Alerts To Mobile Apps
- Twitter Alerts – Feature for Emergencies
- Twitter to Introduce Nearby Tweets
You might also like
More from Experts Talk
3 Courses To Help You Get Started With Facebook And Instagram Insights
Here are three Facebook Blueprint courses to help you get useful information from insights on how your business is performing …
5 Tips To Make The Online Shopping Experience Easier
Here are 5 questions to ask yourself to help you make the online shopping experience easier for shoppers.
The Sales-Generating Multichannel Ad Strategy You Need This Holiday Season
With the holiday season approaching, the time has come to put together the perfect multichannel ad strategy. This post will …
3 Courses To Help You Set Up Your Shop On Facebook And Instagram
Here are three free Facebook Blueprint courses to help you set up your own shop on Facebook and Instagram.
3 Courses To Help You Create Compelling Facebook Ad Visuals
Here are three free Facebook Blueprint courses that will help you create more impactful ad visuals that get your audience's …
3 Courses To Help You Optimize Facebook Ads
Here are three free Facebook Blueprint courses that will help you optimize your Facebook Ads to achieve your business goals.
This Year Will Permanently Change The Creative Industry
This year has redefined how we work and how we interact with one another. There is no doubt it will …
3 Courses To Help You Get Discovered On Facebook And Instagram
Here are three free Facebook Blueprint courses to help you get discovered on Facebook and Instagram.
3 Courses To Help You With Social Media Content Planning
Why use a content calendar, how to create one, and tips for planning your content. Three courses to help you …
