Crowdsourcing for Situational Awareness - Australian Example
Citizens are key to resiliency and they expect to use social media during disasters as part of a comprehensive, layered info system. While some agencies use social media to distribute info, we have largely ignored the huge potential of crowdsorcing to help verify and inform the whole community. Social media is also critical for communities to self organize recovery efforts (cleanup party at a school, or clearing debris). ...more »
Citizens are key to resiliency and they expect to use social media during disasters as part of a comprehensive, layered info system. While some agencies use social media to distribute info, we have largely ignored the huge potential of crowdsorcing to help verify and inform the whole community. Social media is also critical for communities to self organize recovery efforts (cleanup party at a school, or clearing debris). Citizens are a resource, not a liability as long as we help develop the tools necessary for them to succeed and educate them on how to help us with social media eye witness reports.
For those who would like to see how other countries’ governments are adopting social media for situational awareness, explore the progressive stance on social media by Victoria State Emergency Services (Australian Government) during recent flooding incidents. They just released research (short video) about the nature of social media traffic during an actual emergency.
The Aussie government also released a formal review of the flood warnings and response in 2011 that addresses social media very directly (see recommendations 33, 40, 41, 42 and pgs 81, 97-105). This provides justification for social media strategies during a disaster. I recommend efforts in the US need to focus on building capabilities for local jurisdictions to filter, sort and provide credibility ratings on official and unofficial (social media) content and better utilize this valuable untapped resource. http://bit.ly/zTWyjR
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