This article addressed similar themes to the articles that I included in my own research on collaboration and disaster management. Of particular relevance is the article titled, 'Crisis in a Networked World: Features of Computer-Mediated Communication in the April 16, 2007, Virginia Tech Event', as it also discusses the ways in which survivors of a tragedy were able to use networked media such as Facebook groups and instant messaging to 'check in' on each other.

I found this article particularly interesting because after the Virginia Tech shooting, survivors, as well as members of the general public, were able to use the Facebook group 'I'm OK at Virginia Tech' to compose a list of the deceased victims even before they were officially released. The article 'Japan's social safety net: Facebook's Disaster Message Board' depicts what I perceive to be the next step in networked disaster management with Facebook publically acknowledging that the site can, and often is, used in the process of disaster response. Further to this, Facebook has gone about actively facilitating a tool specifically designed for crisis and disaster management rather than simply allowing users to utilise the platform in an entirely ad hoc, reactive kind of way

Personally I use BitTorrent for the following reasons: I find it incredibly simple to use, the program loads quickly and doesn't seem to use much hardware resource and it isn't laced with advertisements or trojans. However, even though I am an avid BitTorrent user, downloading files on a daily basis, I would definitely class myself as a BitTorrent "freeloader." The only time I find myself 'seeding' files is when they automatically seed after I've finished downloading.

This article raised many points that I had never really considered and has caused me to reconsider my selfish BitTorrent behaviour. I haven't ever noticed that my BitTorrent experience has been limited by the fact that I have been so reluctant to seed files, however the article has encouraged me to really utilize the "tit-for-tat" system to ensure that my self-serving attitude is not bringing down others in any tribes I may be part of. Because at the end of the day, if I as forced to choose between giving up some bandwidth to help the BitTorrent community to continue to thrive, or lose the tool all together, I'm sure I'd choose the former. I'm also fully aware that if everyone had the same attitude as me, there would be no one seeding files for download at all.

Shneiderman, B. & Preece, J. (2007). 911.gov: Community Response Grids. Science, 315, 944. Retrieved from http://www.cs.umd.edu/hcil/911gov.pdf


This article provides a mockup of a 911 online portal known as a 'community response grid' to assist in times of emergency or crisis when traditional 911 system cannot manage the influx of calls for help. This system would allow users to report emergencies, upload images and videos and keep up to date with potentially dangerous situations unfolding in their communities.

According to Shneiderman and Preece, the World Wide Web has proven effective in many crisis situations over the years, however the government has been slow to implement this technology in its own disaster response strategies. Shneiderman and Preece suggest that ideally people could register for the proposed community response grid in advance and use the system regularly to develop other community contacts so they are familiar with how it works should an emergency occur. Scheiderman and Preese believe that this activity would 'build trust and increase social capital' needed during times of crisis.

The article suggests that the Internet will become more reliable and robust over time and speculates that it will potentially be easier to restore than traditional phone lines should it become disrupted in times of crisis.

The article cites Craigslist.com as an effective regional model with specific pages for each US state which, in some cases, already issue earthquake and weather warnings.

Given time for research, production, testing and implementation, the authors estimate that community response grids may be possible in anywhere between 3 to 5 years time.

Lindsay, B.R. (2011). Social Media and Disasters: Current Uses, Future Options, and Policy Considerations. Congressional Research Service Reports. Retrieved from http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/homesec/R41987.pdf

This article by the Federation of American Scientists explores how social media is currently being used in crisis response, being the fourth most popular source for accessing emergency information. Lindsay states that social media use in organisational emergency response can be divided into two broad categories: passive use and systematic use. Passive use includes disseminating information by user feedback such as messages, wall posts and polls; and systematic usage, which include the issuing of warnings and emergency communication, requests for assistance, establishing situational awareness by monitoring user activity and user uploaded images to conduct damage estimates.

The article suggests that social media could supplement the 911 emergency service, highlighting the issues arising when telephone lines are down citing the example of the 2010 Japanese earthquake and tsunami, where people tweeted for assistance when the 911 telephone system was inaccessible.

Lindsay also suggests that social media platforms could be used to aid in post-disaster rebuilding by helping process applications for disaster loans and other financial assistance.

The article also addresses the potential disadvantages associated with the incorporation of social media into official emergency response strategies. Due to the amount of people participating, inaccurate, outdated or false information may be circulated. For example, an incorrect location of a hazard may be broadcast or, in the case of the Japanese Earthquake, where requests for help were retweeted after the victims had already been rescued. It is also possible for social media to be used maliciously in times of crisis either through pranks or terrorist attempts creating a need for sanctions to be developed to deter and punish individuals who intentionally and maliciously circulate false information. Other potential pitfalls of networked disaster response relate to issues of privacy including datamining of personal information and the administrative cost associated with facilitating a social media program for emergencies.

Stephenson, W.D. & Bonabeau, E. (2007). Expecting the Unexpected: The Need for a Networked Terrorism and Disaster Response Strategy. Homeland Security Affairs. Retrieved from http://www.hsaj.org/?fullarticle=3.1.3

This article, written by Stephenson and Bonabeau, asks whether or not 'command-and-control' management responses to emergency situations which are, by nature, unpredictable and rapidly-changing, is the most effective way of responding to crisis events. Stephenson and Bonabeau suggest that an alternative to disaster response, which incorporates the concept of 'swarm intelligence' and new technology should be developed.

Stephenson and Bonabeau, define 'swarm intelligence' as being based on the social behavior of bees, ants and termites, identifying the three most relevant characteristics of swarm intelligence most relevant to disaster response as being flexibility, robustness and self-organisation. With technologies such as social media, people do not need to rely on central authorities to assist them and provide them with vital information anymore. In times of crisis, it is victims themselves that band together to create ad hoc solutions. Additionally, the article claims that in times of crisis, people will automatically turn to the technologies they use everyday for assistance.


In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Katrinahelp wiki was created which offered information on the latest status of the crisis as well as information about how victims could find support and assistance. The article raises the issue of the inevitable inclusion of incorrect information on these sorts of peer facilitated platforms, however contends that official websites also often contain erroneous information and that wiki users can quickly amend any misinformation which may not happen as rapidly on official websites.

Stephenson and Bonabeau cite post-Katrina polls that show how people have lost faith in the ability of the government to protect them in times of crisis and are now more likely to take matters into their own hands.

Hughes, A.L, Liu, S.B, Palen, L & Vieweg, S. (2009). Crisis in a Networked World: Features of Computer-Mediated Communication in the April 16, 2007, Virginia Tech Event.
Social Science Computer Review 27: 467. Retrieved from http://ssc.sagepub.com/content/27/4/467


This article, produced by the University of Colorado, explores computer-mediated communication used among the students and the general public during and after the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting.

Society practices resilience by banding together using at-hand resources during times of crisis to recover and cope with unexpected and tragic circumstances. In contemporary times, people are turning more and more to social media for peer-distributed information to receive localised, relevant, timely and accurate updates during emergency situations.

The article explores how networked communication platforms can move from an 'unofficial backchannel' to a more formalised system for emergency and crisis management given that people are becoming increasingly more reliant on social media to gather information that may not otherwise be available. Social media is also advantages in disaster response as it provides a way for people not in the immediate locale of a crisis to contribute and interact with those directly in the crisis zone.

A visual representation in the form of a timeline of activity during the first nine hours of the Virginia Tech shooting is featured in the article, including both 'official' (University-distributed email and press conferences etc.) and 'unofficial' (user-created Facebook groups and wikis etc.) communication.

One of the most significant aspects of the article was the discussion of how, in an act of collective problem solving, a user generated Facebook group dedicated to the shooting was able to identify all but one of the victims before the list of names was officially released.

The article does note however that problem solving to this extent may not be possible in large scale, wide-spread crisis like fires and hurricanes. The Virginia Tech crisis was confined to one institution in one location allowing for more effective resolution process.