Social media tools are shaping how crises are
communicated and response is coordinated in public
health and emergency management communities. New and
accessible communication platforms and technologies,
such as blogs, social networking sites, Really Simply
Syndication (RSS) feeds, and other formats, have the
potential to reach more people with more relevant
messages than ever before.
But the implications for managing messages to protect
public health and safety—especially during times of
crisis—can be staggering. Because anyone can create
content and distribute it freely, it has become
increasingly difficult for those involved in risk
communications to control messaging. Government,
nonprofit, and commercial organizations must improve
their understanding of how to use social media to
support their crisis communications strategies. 2009.
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