As technology arises, a shift has occurred in the way people receive their news. Social media has changed the way of communication. People now get news through it and companies consider it an integral part of their marketing strategies. Instead of waiting for the nightly news or the morning paper, many obtain their news and weather updates in real-time through social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram and various other platforms. We now have the ability to learn about events as they’re about to be unfold and we are just beginning to learn how valuable the speed of information really is. When other forms of communication are cut off due to a disaster, social media still exists and is readily accessible. If all access when it comes to communication fail, people still have their cell phones with access to the internet and their downloaded applications. As a result, social media has become increasingly important in the world of disaster preparedness, recovery and relief. Hence, people are now dependent to the said technology resulting for many of us to have access to gain information about a certain phenomena or issue particularly in times of calamities.
Social media has redefined communication and made it even better, especially during emergencies. When it comes to disaster response, social media has proven to be a popular and effective tool for sharing and conveying information However, using social media in such situations has risks. There are cases when the information is incorrect or malicious, in which case it hinders response efforts, also results to negative feedback. That is one of the drawbacks that limit the usefulness of social media in emergency situations, nevertheless social media such as Facebook and Twitter have been used for sharing warnings and disaster information, contacting friends during a crisis and raise funds for disaster relief. Traditionally, as we all know people tend to rely on limited information that they acquire through the use of newspaper or maybe listening to the radio to be updated on what issues are surrounding them. But, now that technologies made our daily lives more convenient, it will be just easy for us to get an access and also at the same time convey information, in some situations like you are the main source of that specific issue or topic, that may help people for them to get knowledge. And when this happen, especially in times of disaster, it is an essential tool for many people to make things more viable to avoid fatality to many.
Government agencies use such tools primarily for pushing information to the public, such as links to hurricane forecasts and evacuation routes. Some emergency management agencies are using social tools to help gather and share information in real-time, such as locations of trapped survivors. Due to natural disasters there is an increased communication since people seek to contact family and friends in the disasters zone, and seek information regarding food, shelter and transportation. Social media has played a significant role in disseminating information about these disasters by allowing people to share information and ask for help. Social media are also becoming vital to recovery efforts after crises, when infrastructure must be rebuilt and stress management is critical. With this in mind, having social media as a vital tool to nourish every individuals life and to avoid casualties, it is then proven that social media is truly a way for us to have and sustain lives for the benefit of mankind. Social media, even though there are things that makes social media disadvantageous. Still, it gives us a strategy wherein it provides the users a more convenient way of acquiring information, especially when we are in need of that specific information.
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