Communicating on Twitter During a Disaster: An Analysis of Tweets During Typhoon Haiyan

• In Event: Tweeting Disasters and Crises

Abstract

Social media in crisis situations, such as natural disasters, have been recognized by scholars and practitioners as key communication channels that can complement traditional channels. However, there is limited empirical examination from the user perspective of the functions that social media play and the factors that explain such uses. In this study we examine Twitter use during and after Typhoon Haiyan pummeled the Philippines. The results showed that different stakeholders used social media mostly for dissemination of second-hand information, in coordinating relief efforts, and in memorializing those affected. We also explore how internal and external factors such as geography, time, type of user, and social media engagement predict the type of use during the crisis. Recommendations for future research and applications in future crises are also presented.

Authors

• Bruno Takahashi, Michigan State University

• Edson Tandoc, Nanyang Technological University

• Christine Carmichael, Michigan State U