Embrace the Benefits of Social Media ...with a Hint of Caution

I enrolled in a social networking course to learn about how I can use social media tools in a work setting to promote programs and educate the public on emergency preparedness.  I was not entirely convinced of the value of using these tools to further my own personal interests or social interactions.  I would describe myself as someone who prefers to have a telephone conversation with a friend than to exchange an email message.  The idea of planting myself in front of a computer screen to populate a Facebook page with information about my activities or send a Tweet to share a message or thought with others was not that appealing. 

My reluctance to participate in social media networks has been due in part to three things: 

FIRST, a full-time job and busy family life often makes even the most required daily tasks a challenge at times.  As I am constantly bombarded with email messages at work that require a response, action or follow up, I am often guilty of letting my personal email go unchecked for days.  I have simply felt, “Who has the time?”

SECOND, I have held the belief that social media networks are counter intuitive to what I value in personal relationships.  That is the opportunity to chat with a friend in person and be able to tell from the tone of their voice or their posture/gestures that they are having a bad day or to share in a hearty laugh over a shared joke or experience.  I asked myself, “Wouldn’t the richness of this type of interaction somehow be diluted if I spent my time instead in front of a computer screen communicating with these same friends?” 

THIRD, I would say I suffer from a mild case of paranoia.  I am a private person who tends to err on the side of caution when considering disclosing my personal information.  Stories of identity theft and fraud are never in short supply and have led me to be cautious about signing up for a social network account.  I have been reluctant to believe that the creators of these platforms will protect my personal privacy.

Although I have just touched the tip of the iceberg in learning about social media networks, in a mere four weeks I have a better understanding as to the purpose, benefits, and yes, cautions one must take in using these platforms.  Instead of eroding the quality of personal relationships, social media networks are really about building relationships with friends, family, professionals or other individuals who share like interests. 

Social media networks can facilitate a valuable connection online which you can continue to foster outside of the world of online interactions. Facebook with over 400 million users world- wide provides a fun and easy way to stay connected with friends and family.  A detailed profile on LinkedIn facilitates professional connections that can lead to other career or business opportunities. Twitter is not the mindless chatter I originally believed, or at least not always.  By selecting interesting organizations and individuals to follow, it is possible to share knowledge and experiences with others that can assist in your own personal and professional growth.

Of course these benefits must be tempered with the reality that there are concerns we should all be aware of when it comes to personal privacy.  When setting up a social media account, one must be mindful of potential threats to privacy and proactively take control to ensure default privacy settings do not reveal more than you desire as well as to pick and choose with whom and what you share.    

Social Media and Emergency Communications

The field of emergency management can be defined as those activities undertaken to mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from a major emergency or disaster. In British Columbia, the Emergency Program Act and Local Authority Emergency Management Regulations outline the responsibilities of the provincial government and local authorities (e.g. municipalities, regional districts) to develop plans and emergency management structures which would enable an effective response to a major emergency as well as an efficient recovery.  One of the key responsibilities of local government is to educate the public before a disaster occurs about: the nature of hazards in their community, what individuals/families should be doing to prepare and the role and responsibilities of government to return social services and structures to normalcy after an emergency event.  Similarly when a major emergency/disaster occurs (e.g. forest fires in the summer, freshet flooding in the spring) there is a requirement to keep the public informed of the status of the emergency, activities of government, expectations of the public and the availability of resources to support individuals and families. 

As an emergency management professional, I am keenly interested in learning more about social media tools such as Twitter, Facebook and Blogs to determine what value these platforms can offer to emergency communications, particularly following a major emergency or disaster.  When an emergency occurs, news coverage provided by traditional media including radio, television and larger print media is an important means of keeping the public informed particularly when proactive media relations strategies are utilized by the local government.  Posting current information on the City’s web page and activating telephone help lines are other communication vehicles that are used.   

One only has to look to disasters around the world to see that social media networks are being used by the public and organizations during crisis situations.  During the 2007 California wildfires, local media websites featured updates from local residents or hosted discussion boards.  Individuals who had been able to return to their homes, reported on what they witnessed upon their return. Following the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Facebook was used by individuals to try and locate friends and family.  During this same event, social media tools were also used extensively by the Red Cross to solicit donations and volunteer support.

In August 2010, the American Red Cross conducted an online survey of social media users to examine the potential of social media tools. This survey yielded some interesting results:

·    The majority of respondents said they would seek emergency information from social media rather than from an official government website or an emergency text message system;

·    Social media sites were the fourth most popular medium for receiving emergency information after television news, radio and online news sites; and

·    In the event regular phones lines and/or 911 was down,  35% of respondents said they would post a request for help directly on a response agency’s Facebook page and 28% said they would send a direct Twitter message to responders.

As emergency managers we will need to find opportunities to incorporate social media networks into our emergency communication strategies.  In doing so, we must consider the following points.  First, the organization/program must establish an online presence before an emergency disaster occurs.  This will allow us to build followers before an emergency/disaster occurs, educate them on the need for preparedness and provide them with critical information in the aftermath of an event.  Second, sufficient staff resources must be assigned so as to regularly engage this audience.  It’s not enough to establish an account that lays dormant until an emergency occurs. Third, we must be prepared for the increase in a need for information during and following a major emergency and be prepared to engage the public regularly with timely and relevant information sharing.   

Social Media - Fearsome or Fantastic?

As a generation Xer who has never used twitter, facebook or created a blog, my first introduction to these concepts has been quite overwhelming.  While I realize these tools are widely used by individuals and organizations, I'm still waiting to be convinced that I must get on the band wagon.  Perhaps week 3 of my social media course will put me on the path of comfort in using these tools.  Until next week.