Week 12: Crowdsourcing in Times of Crisis
Welcome back and this marks the final week of Yapping with Gladys ✨
It's been a journey and for today we will talk about crisis. You're probably thinking of natural disasters like floods or earthquakes right? But did you know? Crisis doesn't exactly means natural disaster.
I grew up watching anime and for many anime fans, one event I still remember clearly is the 2019 Kyoto Animation (KyoAni) arson attack. For those unfamiliar, Kyoto Animation is one of Japan's most beloved animation studios, responsible for works such as Violet Evergarden, K-On!, and A Silent Voice. The attack shocked fans worldwide, not only was the studio devastated the whole anime community were.
What happened afterwards was something I had never seen before.
Within hours, social media platforms became a mourning space, where fans shared information and coordinated support. Fans translated news updates from Japan News, shared verified donation links, created tribute artwork, and helped spread awareness globally. Rather than relying solely on traditional media, information flowed through thousands of interconnected users across Twitter, Reddit, Discord, Facebook, and other online communities.
img from https://news.cgtn.com/news/2019-07-19/Pray-for-KyoAni-Heartbreaking-loss-for-anime-fans-and-industry-Is7NsZolzy/index.html
This reflects the concept of crowdsourcing, where large groups of people collectively contribute information, resources, or labour towards a shared goal (Riccardi, 2016). While crowdsourcing is often associated with disaster mapping during earthquakes or floods, the KyoAni response demonstrates that digital communities can also mobilise around cultural and emotional crises.
What makes crowdsourcing powerful is not simply the technology itself, but the network behind it. According to Riccardi (2016), crowdsourced responses allow communities to react quickly because information and resources are distributed across many participants instead of being controlled by a single organisation. KyoAni fans became information sharers, translators, fundraisers, and advocates all at the same time.
img from https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-kyoani-heal
The fundraising campaign organised by Sentai Filmworks managed to collect over millions of dollars from fans who donated to support Kyoto Animation's recovery. What began as individual acts of support quickly evolved into a global networked effort. This demonstrates how digital citizenship extends beyond instead of just consuming content online.
What I find particularly interesting is how this differs from older forms of crisis response. In the past, support often depended on governments, charities, or news organisations acting as intermediaries. Today, social media allows communities to organise support. This reflects what Jenkins (2006) describe as participatory culture, where individuals actively contribute knowledge, resources, and collective problem-solving rather than remaining passive audiences.
However, crowdsourcing is not always about responding after tragedy.
img from https://primaryimmune.org/get-involved/raise-awareness-and-funds-idf/diy-gaming
A more recent example can be seen in the VTuber community through Ironmouse. Over the years, Ironmouse has organised large-scale charity fundraising campaigns supporting the Immune Deficiency Foundation, raising millions of dollars through livestreams and community participation. Unlike KyoAni, which involved a sudden crisis, Ironmouse's campaigns address an ongoing challenge related to health awareness and support.
Looking at both cases together reveals something important: crowdsourcing is not limited to emergency situations. Digital communities can mobilise around immediate disasters and long-term social issues. Whether donating money, sharing information or simply amplifying awareness, community members become active contributors rather than passive observers.
At the same time, crowdsourcing is not perfect. Information shared during crisis can sometimes be inaccurate, emotional reactions can spread faster than verified facts, and platforms themselves influence what information becomes visible. As Meier (2015) argues, digital humanitarianism creates new opportunities for participation, but it also requires careful verification and responsible use of information. Simply having more people involved does not automatically guarantee better outcomes.
So where does this leave digital citizenship?
I think through out the weeks, it reminds us that digital citizenship is not just about posting online. It is about recognising how digital networks allow ordinary people to support one another when it matters most. Whether it is anime fans helping a beloved studio recover after tragedy or a VTuber community raising millions for charity, crowdsourcing shows how collective action can emerge from shared passion and connection.
Maybe the most powerful thing about social media isn't the technology itself.
It's you. The one reading behind the screens who choose to come together when someone needs help. ❤️


















