The term “social media” refers to Internet-based applications that enable people to communicate and share resources and information. The emergence of this new communication channels represents an opportunity to broaden warnings to diverse segments of the population in times of emergency. These technologies have the potential to prevent communication breakdown through reliance on just one platform and thereby to reinforce the diffusion of warning messages but also present policy makers with new challenges.
The use of social media for emergencies and disasters on an organizational level may be conceived of 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 using the medium to conduct emergency communications and issue warnings; 2) using social media to receive victim requests for assistance; 3) monitoring user activities and postings to establish situational awareness; and4) using uploaded images to create damage estimates, among others.
As a parent, social workers, and the government this platform would be useful since it is very essential in many ways. Therefore, it would be useful to teach the public how to use social media effectively, how to get information from the Web and also how to put out useful information. Same goes with this saying, “Tweets flow so quickly it’s like a fire hose where you’re trying to extract bits of information that are relevant.”
