From Australian bushfires to Haitian earthquakes, social media platforms are proving to be flexible tools in spreading life-saving information about impending disasters and vital aid after an event, but how to use them wisely remains a vexed question.
Analysis finds users with small networks are critical in keeping their communities informed
A new study from the US focuses on the use of the online news and social networking platform Twitter during natural disasters and has found that average users with relatively small numbers of followers are more effective at spreading useful information than high-profile so-called “influencers” who boast massive numbers of followers.
Additionally, the research, published in the journal PLOS One, finds each type of natural disaster has its own unique pattern of social media use.