Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Using Student Case Study Research To Verify Twitter Usage In Disasters, John R. Fisher, Jared Pitcher, Gary Noll

Dr. John R. Fisher

In disaster situations, Twitter has become the preferred means of transmitting information to the news media and the public. This study examines the inter-relationship among the various parties who share and produce information in a disaster situation. Student case studies of disaster situations serve as the primary database for analysis. A preliminary examination of the case studies and the Twitter trails of information seem to support the view that Twitter can be a source of gathering and relaying information in a disaster situation and that first-responder agencies, the media, and the informed public can use Twitter for information they can …