The Role of Social Media to the Natural Disaster or Crisis

EasyChair Preprint 10966, version 1

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to examine the role of social media in relation to natural disasters, encompassing the periods preceding, during, and following such events. In the face of calamities, traditional communication channels tend to fail, leaving social media networks as the sole means of information exchange. Even when conventional systems collapse, including power grids, landlines, electricity, and computers, individuals still possess their smartphones equipped with internet access and relevant applications. Consequently, the significance of social media has progressively amplified in the realm of disaster preparedness, recovery, and relief efforts. Numerous mobile applications have been developed to offer assistance during emergencies. This research aims to explore whether social media platforms can effectively serve as valuable tools, fostering collaborative endeavors between individuals and organizations throughout all phases of emergency management, namely mitigation, preparedness, and response. The investigation draws upon a comprehensive literature review and empirical analysis, examining notable cases across prominent social networks like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, among others.

The findings of this exploratory research underscore the consideration of connected social networking sites as a feasible remedy for the challenges surrounding information dissemination and communication within the emergency sector. Moreover, they demonstrate the potential of social networks as tools for gauging the severity of natural disasters and acquiring vital information and assessments.

Keyphrases: Health, Informatics, IoT, hazard, management, natural disaster, social media

@booklet{EasyChair:10966,
  author    = {Vasilis Kanellopoulos and Vassilis Trianatafyllou and Constantinos Koutsojannis and Efthymis Lekkas},
  title     = {The Role of Social Media to the Natural Disaster or Crisis},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 10966},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2023}}