By: Vladimere Kyle Andrew M. Yasay
Specially in calamities, Does Social Media really helped in discerning informations?
Let’s admit that the existence of social media made our life more convenient. But how about when we experience calamities?
People Around the globe almost know about social media and the power of social media in discerning informations. people use social media everyday to connect with their friends, families, and love ones.
Social media is a potent communication tool that has a significant impact on both urban centers and rural locations. We are just witnessing a small portion of the digital revolution, though. The world has become more accessible because to the digital transition, which has also affected businesses and altered how we communicate.
Oberlo estimates that as of 2019, there are 3.2 billion social media users worldwide, or roughly 42% of the world’s population. Additionally, there are currently about 4.5 billion internet users worldwide. These figures demonstrate how digital media is becoming more and more prevalent in our daily lives.
These past few years Calamities are happening more often and we can’t stop it. though we can prevent some reason that causes these calamities but we can’t deny about worrying when calamities happen and we aren’t with our love ones. this is where social media made its way. Social Media helped to connect billions of people around the world.
Losses are incurred in terms of money, the environment, or people. Unexpected natural disasters claim the lives of tens, hundreds, or even thousands of people. The population's susceptibility to the hazard also known as their resilience determines the loss that results. The earth would be in grave peril if these catastrophes persisted. This knowledge is condensed in the idea that disasters happen when vulnerabilities and hazards collide. Therefore, a natural hazard won't cause a natural disaster in places that are not vulnerable, such as strong earthquakes in remote locations. Because the phenomena are not risks or disasters without human involvement, the word "natural" has been contested.
These causes more communication as a result of natural disasters because people try to get in touch with family and friends who are in the disaster area and look for information on food, shelter, and transportation. By enabling people to share information and request assistance, social media has significantly contributed to the spread of information about these catastrophes. In the aftermath of crises, when infrastructure needs to be rebuilt and stress management is crucial, social media is also becoming increasingly important.
Social Media has multiple of ways to discern information around the globe and has almost endless ways to communicate with someone globally.
The reasons that have contributed to social media’s emergence as a potent communication tool will be discussed in this blog
Social Media helped a lot of people including families, social workers and the government, but how does social media helped them?
- Families
Social Media helped billions of families by connecting them in many types of communication they want wether through Call, Video Call, Face chat , Text, Emails, Video Chat, and many more ways to update our love ones on how we feel, how are we doing,where we are what is going on, or to simply explain what happens in our everyday lives. To take away their worries, keep them connected and in-touched with each other
- Social Workers
If social media made our life more convenient to us normal people then imagine what it can do to those who work and uses social media and technology everyday social media must have a bigger contribute to them. They use social media and advance technology as an everyday advantage to improve their presentations, discern information ,and to express more about their ideas with ease.
- Government
Government must have the biggest leverage on using social media in discerning informations. Government also uses it everyday, through almost endless of ways. They use in news updates that happens everyday in our society or to update people about elections, SONA, Government issues, Environmental issues,Government projects etc.
SOCIAL MEDIA PLAYED A BIG ROLE IN DISCERNING INFORMATION BUT HOW ABOUT ON CALAMITIES?
Social media contributed a lot in spreading discerning informations people uses social media for everyday. surely you recognize Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram? I’m sure the majority of you use one. Social media is crucial for global communication and collaboration. It made information during disasters more discerning for families, social workers, and the government. Every family may readily contact with their relatives through social media, especially those who live abroad. For social workers, it can be a tool for providing information during emergencies. Social media, in particular, can be used to communicate information by our government.
People in disaster zones can now get useful information via social media during emergencies. Some websites were crucial in helping to link up displaced families. Additionally, it helps social workers raise funds and volunteers by raising awareness of those outside locations. Some government agencies even listen to the government; they gather the conversation and comb through it for pertinent comments that could aid in improving their response to crises and emergencies. We can’t stop social media from becoming a part of our lives; its emergence as a quick and efficient information-sharing tool has revolutionized the way people and companies communicate.
Government gives “warnings” or “alerts” messages to people through social media. in this generation information is almost present everywhere. and it can easily be spread. Just like in typhoon “Haiyan” or in Phillipines “Yolanda” the Government used social media to spread or give alert and warning to people or to those who are in disaster area to give people valuable information on what they need to do if the calamity gets worse. not only typhoon but also earthquake, landslide, tsunami and any other calamities. it helps spreads or brings awareness to people that tells them what to do. it also helps the victim of the calamity by making an online donations for the victims of calamity.
The effects of global warming on our globe are so severe that natural disasters now make the news nearly every day. Faced with this, social media has emerged as a savior, making it possible to provide and access support, information, and funding for relief efforts more conveniently. For instance, Facebook’s safety check feature lets you mark yourself as safe in disaster areas, letting your friends and family know that you are okay in case there is no other way to reach you. Social media can be used to raise money and support by promoting donations in the event of catastrophic disasters or by easing the distribution of aid. People who want to provide blankets or a safe place for disaster victims to stay during an incident frequently do not know who to contact.
How effective is discerning informations now? compared to the past?
If we go back in the past and take a look at their technology where Internet doesn’t even exist. There were only few things they can get informations from. it is wether through Televisions, Radios, or News Papers. but some people back then cannot afford televisions or radio.The mobile phones are also low models and very expensive. Compared now almost everyone has a mobile phone. And even if you can’t afford one information is almost available anywere from legitimate sources.
People in the past only uses TV, Radio and printing to discern and spread such informations or happenings in a certain place. it is effective in the past in some ways because people back then always watches TV , and listens to Radio. In addition people back then doesn’t have a advanced technology where Social media is a thing.
If we compare it in todays technology it has a very big difference. Right now mostly old people uses TV and Radio to gain informations and the what we call “MILLENIALS” and Gen X,Y,Z are most likely using mobile phones, laptops, and computers to use social media and gain informations.
Present technology is far more advanced that past’s technology. it is very visible that technology has evolved and improved these past decades and still improving until now. we even have AI(artificial intelligence) that makes our works easier.and the communication in the present is faster and more accurate than the past.
But most importantly discerning information now is superior than the past. Today we have many legitimate sources we can informations through social media. The power is in our hands. All we need to do is search for the information we need then check if it’s authorized or not. Yes! it is truly that easy.
References: https://preparecenter.org/topic/social-media-disasters/ https://www.ucanwest.ca/blog/media-communication/how-has-social-media-emerged-as-a-powerful-communication-medium/https://groupiesonline.wordpress.com/home/ https://medium.com/@azzellmaeesteva/how-social-media-helped-families-social-workers-and-the-government-understanding-information-1b5ea60a3bc
Sources:https://bit.ly/3OPglWq https://www.deviantart.com/pixeljeff/art/Night-Shift-848697854 https://kingcounty.gov/depts/KCTV.aspx
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