In a time of crisis...crowdsourcing
Communication in a time of crisis whether that be a national disaster or more sinister like a terrorist attack, we rely on a variety of communication systems and medium to contact loved ones, understand what is happening or to be aware of any further threats. Unfortunately when major crisis take place, our communication systems can also fail making it harder to communicate key information to the public, loved ones or other persons of interest.Â
In the digital age, we are now turning to social medium platforms to access information and in a time of crisis âcrowdsourcingâ is an increasingly popular and effective way of obtaining information and disseminating across a large group or audience.  Merriam Webster Online (2014) defines crowdsourcing as a way to obtain crucial services, ideas or information by getting this information from large groups of people with a focus on the online community.
When the Nepal earthquake struck in 2015, a number of organisations as well as individuals used crowdsourcing as way to fundraise for relief efforts but also to track down missing peoples using the power of social media.   Along with Facebookâs safety feature that allows users to notify followers that they are safe, the Nepal Earthquake has seen a number of crowdsourcing efforts take place such as the use of the Kathmandu living lab map which maps the disaster affected areas thanks to the efforts of online users disseminating key information about each area in Nepal. Volunteer Coordination has also been used online via Google Docs and social media in order to recruit volunteers but to ensure they are adequately spread across key areas (New York Time, 2015)
Through the use of crowdsourcing, the online community was effectively able to assist and help those affected in Nepal and provide valuable information to rescue teams when traditional communication systems such as telephone was not possible.
Whilst crowdsourcing has been used for more shallow pursuits such as kickstarter campaigns to get Hollywood movies off the ground, one cannot deny the power that crowdsourcing in a time of genuine crisis can hold. We saw only recently that a Tasmanian widow receive hundreds of thousands of dollars to raise his children after his wife was killed in a car accident. Through the online community coming together and sharing this manâs story they were able to contribute to the wellbeing of his family through crowdsourcing (ABC, 2016).
What are some examples of effective crowdsourcing in a crisis that you have seen?
References
 âBaby born after fatal crashâ 2016, ABC, viewed 1 February 2016 <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-23/baby-born-after-fatal-crash-now-stable/7109314>
âcrowdsourcing entryâ 2014, Merriam Webster, viewed 17 September 2015,<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crowdsourcing>.
âNepalis using crowdsourcing to aid in quake reliefâ, 2015, New York Times <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/02/world/asia/3-ways-nepalis-are-using-crowdsourcing-to-aid-in-quake-relief.html?_r=0>
Images
âCrowdsourcing Disaster Reliefâ 2014, Dialogue Consulting, viewed 1 February 2016 http://www.dialogueconsulting.com.au/2014/03/crowdsourcing-disaster-relief/
âNepalis using crowdsourcing to aid in quake reliefâ, 2015, New York Times <http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/02/world/asia/3-ways-nepalis-are-using-crowdsourcing-to-aid-in-quake-relief.html?_r=0>
The Nepal earthquake was a really good example of the success of crowdsourcing - this has been one of the best topics we have covered. To me it seems a natural progression in collaboration - with so many online and connected, it only takes one person with an idea and crowdsourcing can snowball - Â many people who want to help, can help even if they are physically removed from the disaster scenes, as has been demonstrated in crisis mapping with resultant better use of resources and relief efforts. Great post!
