Difference between revisions of "Social Media and Disasters: Current Uses, Future Options, and Policy Considerations"
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|Target Audience=Policy Makers, Practitioners | |Target Audience=Policy Makers, Practitioners | ||
|Status=Published | |Status=Published | ||
− | + | |Covers Thematic=Crisis communication, Social Media Strategy | |
− | |Covers Thematic=Crisis communication | + | |Audience Experience Level=Starter |
− | |Audience Experience Level= | ||
|Source Website=https://sgp.fas.org/crs/homesec/R41987.pdf | |Source Website=https://sgp.fas.org/crs/homesec/R41987.pdf | ||
− | | | + | |Synopsis='''Potential use of Social Media''' |
− | |||
− | Social Media in | + | The use of social media for emergencies and disasters may be conceptualized as two broad categories. |
− | + | * First, social media can be used somewhat passively to disseminate information and receive user feedback via incoming messages, wall posts, and polls. | |
+ | * A second approach involves the systematic use of social media as an emergency management tool. | ||
+ | **Systematic usage might include Public Safety and Crisis Information, Notifications, Emergency Warnings and Alerts, Situational Awareness and Citizen Communications, Requests for Assistance by citizens and Social Media and Recovery Efforts | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | '''Public Safety and Crisis Information''' | ||
+ | *Social media can be used to disseminate a wide range of public safety information before, during, and after various incidents. | ||
+ | **Prior to an incident (or in the absence of an incident), many emergency management organizations provide citizens with preparedness and readiness information through social media. | ||
+ | **Social media are also used for community outreach and customer service purposes by soliciting feedback on public safety-related topics. | ||
+ | * Social media also play an informational role during emergency situations. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | '''Notifications''' | ||
+ | * Social media are also used to send out notifications of upcoming training events and exercises. | ||
+ | * Notifications can also be sent to mobilize first responders. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | '''Emergency Warnings and Alerts''' | ||
+ | * Social media could be used to issue emergency warnings that advise citizens to seek shelter, evacuate the area, or take other protective measures | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | '''Situational Awareness and Citizen Communications''' | ||
+ | * Social media could be used to alert emergency managers and officials to certain situations by monitoring the flow of information from different sources during an incident. | ||
+ | * Monitoring information flows could help establish “situational awareness, e.g the ability to identify, process, and comprehend critical elements of an incident or situation. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | '''Requests for Assistance''' | ||
+ | * Social media could be used as a supplement to “112” emergency communications | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | '''Social Media and Recovery Efforts''' | ||
+ | * Social media could be used to provide information concerning | ||
+ | ** what types of individual assistance is available to individuals and households, including | ||
+ | *** how to apply for assistance, | ||
+ | *** announcing application deadlines and | ||
+ | *** providing information and links to other agencies and organizations that provide recovery assistance | ||
+ | * Social media could be used to accelerate the damage estimate process by transmitting images of damaged structures such as dams, levees, bridges, and buildings taken from cell phones. | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | '''Lessons Learned and Best Practices''' | ||
+ | |||
+ | There are a number of “lessons learned” and “best practices” when using social media for emergency management objectives. | ||
+ | These include the need to: | ||
+ | * identify target audiences for the applications, such as civilians, nongovernmental organizations, volunteers, and participating governments | ||
+ | * determine appropriate types of information for dissemination | ||
+ | * disseminate information the public is interested in (e.g. what phase the incident is in, etc.) | ||
+ | * identify any negative consequences arising from the application—such as the potential spread | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | '''Potential Policy Implications''' | ||
+ | |||
+ | While there may be some potential advantages to using social media for emergencies and disasters, there may also be some potential policy issues and drawbacks associated with its use; e.g. | ||
+ | *Accurate Information | ||
+ | ** Instances of inaccurate and false information may be an inherent problem, given the nature of social media platforms and the number of people disseminating information. | ||
+ | * Malicious Use of Social Media During Disasters | ||
+ | ** Some individuals or organizations might intentionally provide inaccurate information to confuse, disrupt, or otherwise thwart response efforts. | ||
+ | *** Malicious use of social media during an incident could range from mischievous pranks to acts of terrorism. | ||
+ | * Technological Limitations | ||
+ | ** Overreliance on the technology could be problematic under prolonged power outages. | ||
+ | *** Yet many smartphones and tablets have battery lives lasting twelve hours or less depending on their use. | ||
+ | * Administrative Cost Considerations | ||
+ | **The cost to launch and maintain a social media program for emergencies and disasters has to be considered including | ||
+ | ***the number of personnel required to monitor multiple social media sources, verify the accuracy of incoming information, and respond to and redirect incoming messages | ||
+ | * Privacy Issues | ||
+ | ** Privacy concerns exist about the potential for the collection, retention, and data mining of personal information by the authorities with respect to its use of social media for disaster recovery purposes | ||
|Is Archived=No | |Is Archived=No | ||
− | | | + | |Disaster Management Phase=Before, During, After |
− | |||
− | |||
}} | }} | ||
− |
Latest revision as of 13:47, 14 August 2023
Created: 27 January 2022
Last edited: 14 August 2023
Last edited: 14 August 2023
Quick Facts
Publishing Organisation:
Congressional Research ServiceYear:
2011Primary Target Country:
United States of AmericaLanguages:
EnglishStatus:
PublishedCovers Thematic
Target audience
Audience experience level
Disaster Management Phase
Synopsis
Potential use of Social Media
The use of social media for emergencies and disasters may be conceptualized as two broad categories.
- First, social media can be used somewhat passively to disseminate information and receive user feedback via incoming messages, wall posts, and polls.
- A second approach involves the systematic use of social media as an emergency management tool.
- Systematic usage might include Public Safety and Crisis Information, Notifications, Emergency Warnings and Alerts, Situational Awareness and Citizen Communications, Requests for Assistance by citizens and Social Media and Recovery Efforts
Public Safety and Crisis Information
- Social media can be used to disseminate a wide range of public safety information before, during, and after various incidents.
- Prior to an incident (or in the absence of an incident), many emergency management organizations provide citizens with preparedness and readiness information through social media.
- Social media are also used for community outreach and customer service purposes by soliciting feedback on public safety-related topics.
- Social media also play an informational role during emergency situations.
Notifications
- Social media are also used to send out notifications of upcoming training events and exercises.
- Notifications can also be sent to mobilize first responders.
Emergency Warnings and Alerts
- Social media could be used to issue emergency warnings that advise citizens to seek shelter, evacuate the area, or take other protective measures
Situational Awareness and Citizen Communications
- Social media could be used to alert emergency managers and officials to certain situations by monitoring the flow of information from different sources during an incident.
- Monitoring information flows could help establish “situational awareness, e.g the ability to identify, process, and comprehend critical elements of an incident or situation.
Requests for Assistance
- Social media could be used as a supplement to “112” emergency communications
Social Media and Recovery Efforts
- Social media could be used to provide information concerning
- what types of individual assistance is available to individuals and households, including
- how to apply for assistance,
- announcing application deadlines and
- providing information and links to other agencies and organizations that provide recovery assistance
- what types of individual assistance is available to individuals and households, including
- Social media could be used to accelerate the damage estimate process by transmitting images of damaged structures such as dams, levees, bridges, and buildings taken from cell phones.
Lessons Learned and Best Practices
There are a number of “lessons learned” and “best practices” when using social media for emergency management objectives. These include the need to:
- identify target audiences for the applications, such as civilians, nongovernmental organizations, volunteers, and participating governments
- determine appropriate types of information for dissemination
- disseminate information the public is interested in (e.g. what phase the incident is in, etc.)
- identify any negative consequences arising from the application—such as the potential spread
Potential Policy Implications
While there may be some potential advantages to using social media for emergencies and disasters, there may also be some potential policy issues and drawbacks associated with its use; e.g.
- Accurate Information
- Instances of inaccurate and false information may be an inherent problem, given the nature of social media platforms and the number of people disseminating information.
- Malicious Use of Social Media During Disasters
- Some individuals or organizations might intentionally provide inaccurate information to confuse, disrupt, or otherwise thwart response efforts.
- Malicious use of social media during an incident could range from mischievous pranks to acts of terrorism.
- Some individuals or organizations might intentionally provide inaccurate information to confuse, disrupt, or otherwise thwart response efforts.
- Technological Limitations
- Overreliance on the technology could be problematic under prolonged power outages.
- Yet many smartphones and tablets have battery lives lasting twelve hours or less depending on their use.
- Overreliance on the technology could be problematic under prolonged power outages.
- Administrative Cost Considerations
- The cost to launch and maintain a social media program for emergencies and disasters has to be considered including
- the number of personnel required to monitor multiple social media sources, verify the accuracy of incoming information, and respond to and redirect incoming messages
- The cost to launch and maintain a social media program for emergencies and disasters has to be considered including
- Privacy Issues
- Privacy concerns exist about the potential for the collection, retention, and data mining of personal information by the authorities with respect to its use of social media for disaster recovery purposes
Linked to
- Technologies
- Use Cases
-
None. See all Technologies.
- None. See all Use Cases.