The Role of Social Media in Disaster Response and Management
Social media is an essential platform for communication and information sharing. Social media play vital roles like gathering information, creating awareness, sending warnings, and enhancing response in disaster management. Social media supports people in their pursuit for reliable information to handle uncertainty about a crisis beyond the regular and slow updates by authorities (Jurgens&Helsloot, 2018). Therefore, social media increases the speed at which people access information about a situation, particularly in times of uncertainty. During disasters, social media plays the following roles;
- Information gathering
- Timely updates
- Sending warnings
- Enhancing response and preparation
- Contacting people affected
- And addressing uncertainty
There is a need to explore the role of social media in responding to and managing emergencies. The study will help contextualize social media in terms of its role in enhancing the effectiveness of managing disasters. The significance of this topic lies in the continued part of social media during various crises or disasters like earthquakes, violence, and pandemics.
