The Role of Social Media in Crisis and Disaster Management: Effective Pathways of Social Media Usage

Abstract

The ever-increasing prevalence of digital communication has highlighted the crucial function of social media in disaster and crisis management. This thesis investigates the power of social media in depth, focusing on its potential to improve disaster response, management, and cleanup. This study uses a mixed-method strategy: quantitative survey analysis and qualitative information gleaned through in-depth interviews. This study's quantitative component, a questionnaire survey, sheds light on the far-reaching influence of social media in crisis and disaster management. It proves how crucial it is to ease the flow of information in real time, encourage cooperation among different groups, and stimulate participation from the public. The results show a strong and statistically significant relationship (R2 = 0.574) between social media use and successful crisis management. Social media takes the front stage in maintaining public order and facilitating the rapid dissemination of vital information. This paper highlights the efficacy of technologies like social media analytics in overcoming these impediments and admitting the inherent difficulties in exploiting their potential. In-depth interviews with seasoned crisis management specialists were done alongside the quantitative analysis to provide depth and nuance to this study. These discussions provide new perspectives on the far-reaching effects of social media. Throughout the pre-crisis, crisis, and post-crisis stages, they provide diverse viewpoints on the impact of social media and underline its central role in crisis-related information distribution. The results of this inquiry highlight the importance of social media in the complex network of crisis and disaster management. Fostering cooperation among stakeholders, investing heavily in training and resource allocation, resolving ethical issues, pushing for continued research and innovation, and guaranteeing fair access to these revolutionary technologies are all recommendations from this study.