Social media is often associated with entertainment, communication, and networking. However, this week's topic demonstrated that social media can also play a critical role during times of crisis. Natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, and bushfires often disrupt traditional communication systems. In these situations, social media platforms become important tools for sharing information, coordinating responses, and connecting affected communities.
One of the most interesting concepts discussed this week was crowdsourcing. Crowdsourcing refers to the process of collecting information, ideas, or services from a large group of people, usually through online platforms. During emergencies, ordinary citizens can contribute valuable information by posting updates, images, videos, and location-based reports. This allows emergency services, governments, and aid organisations to gain real-time information about conditions on the ground.
The lecture highlighted several examples where crowdsourcing and social media played an important role during disasters, including the Haiti earthquake, the Japan tsunami, the Queensland floods, and the Black Saturday bushfires. In these situations, people used platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and crisis-mapping tools to share information, locate missing persons, request assistance, and coordinate relief efforts.
What I found most interesting is how social media can transform ordinary users into active participants during emergencies. Instead of only receiving information from governments or news organisations, individuals can contribute directly to disaster response efforts. This demonstrates the power of digital communities and networked communication.
Personally, I believe crowdsourcing has become increasingly important in modern society. During recent floods in Malaysia, many people used Facebook groups and community WhatsApp chats to share road conditions, flood warnings, and emergency assistance information. In many cases, this information spread faster than official announcements. However, there are also risks associated with crowdsourcing, including misinformation, rumours, and unverified reports. Therefore, it is important for users to verify information before sharing it with others.
Overall, this week's topic helped me understand how digital communities can create positive social impact during times of crisis. While social media is often criticised for spreading misinformation, it can also save lives when used responsibly. The ability of communities to work together through crowdsourcing demonstrates the potential of digital technologies to support resilience, cooperation, and disaster recovery.
Bruns, A. and Burgess, J. (2012) Researching News Discussion on Twitter. Journalism Studies.
Vieweg, S., Hughes, A.L., Starbird, K. and Palen, L. (2010) ‘Microblogging During Two Natural Hazards Events’, Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 1079–1088.
Palen, L. and Liu, S.B. (2007) ‘Citizen Communications in Crisis: Anticipating a Future of ICT-Supported Public Participation’, Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, pp. 727–736.














