Social Media, Tsunamis, and Social Media, Tsunamis, and Crisis ManagementCrisis Management

Brian ShiroBrian Shiro

NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning CenterNOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Center

March 16, 2011March 16, 2011

Social Media Club of HawaiiSocial Media Club of Hawaii

Open Government Open Government InitiativeInitiative

http://www.whitehouse.gov/Open

Open Government InitiativeOpen Government Initiative

• President Obama signed the President Obama signed the Memorandum on Memorandum on Transparency and Open GovernmentTransparency and Open Government as his first as his first executive action on January 21, 2009.executive action on January 21, 2009.

• On December 8, 2009, he issued theOn December 8, 2009, he issued the Open Open Government DirectiveGovernment Directive with written instructions to with written instructions to every government agency to open its doors and its every government agency to open its doors and its data to the American people.data to the American people.

“Enable public safety officials across levels of government to share information in real time and improve response to national disasters.” -Open Government Directive

Social Media is…Social Media is…

Social Media is…Social Media is…

Social Networking Sites (SNS)Social Networking Sites (SNS)

• Blogs and WikisBlogs and Wikis

• Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Buzz, etc.Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Buzz, etc.

• YouTube, Flickr, Picasa, etc.YouTube, Flickr, Picasa, etc.

• Digg, StumbleUpon, etc.Digg, StumbleUpon, etc.

• govloop, govfreshgovloop, govfresh

• slideshareslideshare

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Social Media affects…Social Media affects…

Social Media affects…Social Media affects…

Social Media affects…Social Media affects…

Social Media affects…Social Media affects…

Pew Stats on Social Pew Stats on Social Networking Site (SNS) UseNetworking Site (SNS) Use

http://www.pewinternet.org/topics/social-networking.aspxhttp://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Online-News.aspx

• 79% of American 79% of American Adults used the Adults used the internet in 2009.internet in 2009.

• 59% adults primarily 59% adults primarily receive news via the receive news via the internet (75% from internet (75% from SNS).SNS).

• 46% adults use SNS46% adults use SNS

• 37% of internet users 37% of internet users contribute to creating contribute to creating or disseminating news.or disseminating news.

• 79% of SNS users on 79% of SNS users on Facebook (median age Facebook (median age 33), 19% on Twitter 33), 19% on Twitter (median age 31)(median age 31)

Social Media and Disasters Social Media and Disasters in Govermentin Goverment

• USGS Mount Redoubt eruptions: @alaska_avoUSGS Mount Redoubt eruptions: @alaska_avohttp://www.adn.com/volcano/story/756874.htmlhttp://www.adn.com/volcano/story/756874.html

• USGS Twitter Earthquake Detector: @USGSted (crowdsourcing)USGS Twitter Earthquake Detector: @USGSted (crowdsourcing)http://business.twitter.com/twitter101/case_usgshttp://business.twitter.com/twitter101/case_usgshttp://www.seismosoc.org/publications/SRL/SRL_81/srl_81-2_es/http://www.seismosoc.org/publications/SRL/SRL_81/srl_81-2_es/

• NWS Storm Reports (crowdsourcing)NWS Storm Reports (crowdsourcing)http://www.srh.noaa.gov/srh/twitter/twitter.phphttp://www.srh.noaa.gov/srh/twitter/twitter.php

• Several excellent papers with more examples:Several excellent papers with more examples: http://www.jeannettesutton.com/Papers_and_presentations.htmlhttp://www.jeannettesutton.com/Papers_and_presentations.html“Enable public safety officials across levels

of government to share information in real time and improve response to national disasters.” -Open Government Directive

NWS Storm ReportsNWS Storm Reports

Information flow pre-Information flow pre-Twitter EraTwitter Era

Too slow and fragile!

Information flow in the Information flow in the Twitter EraTwitter Era

Fast, robust, viral!

What is a What is a Tsunami?Tsunami?

A tsunami is a series of long-period waves A tsunami is a series of long-period waves created by an abrupt disturbance that displaces a created by an abrupt disturbance that displaces a large amount of water.large amount of water.

Caused by:Caused by:

72%

2%

10%

11%

5%EarthquakesLandslidesVolcanoesAtmosphereOther/Unknown

Bullseye: Tsunamis in HawaiiBullseye: Tsunamis in Hawaii

Lines show tsunami travel time to Hawaii in hours.

Destructive Destructive tsunamis tsunamis every 7 every 7 years on years on averageaverage

Tweets during Samoa Tweets during Samoa Tsunami of 29 Sep 2009Tsunami of 29 Sep 2009

““tsunami” was #2 keyword during the peak with about 14,000 tweets.tsunami” was #2 keyword during the peak with about 14,000 tweets.

Tweets during Vanuatu Tweets during Vanuatu Tsunami of 7 Oct 2009Tsunami of 7 Oct 2009

Geographic distribution of tweets tracked from the Geographic distribution of tweets tracked from the USGS Twitter Earthquake Detector Project (@USGSted)USGS Twitter Earthquake Detector Project (@USGSted)

Tweets during Chile Tweets during Chile Tsunami of 27 Feb 2010Tsunami of 27 Feb 2010

““tsunami” was a top keyword during the peak with about 62,000 tweets.tsunami” was a top keyword during the peak with about 62,000 tweets.

Tweets during Japan Tweets during Japan Tsunami of 11 March 2011Tsunami of 11 March 2011

““tsunami” was a top keyword during the peak with about 158,000 tweets.tsunami” was a top keyword during the peak with about 158,000 tweets.

Tweets coming from Tokyo topped 1,200 per minute, according to Tweet-o-Meter.Tweets coming from Tokyo topped 1,200 per minute, according to Tweet-o-Meter.

Japanese tsunami of Japanese tsunami of March 2011March 2011

Community Conversations Community Conversations #hitsunami#hitsunami

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unam

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NOAA and Social MediaNOAA and Social Media

• Official policy on social Official policy on social media use not established media use not established until January 26, 2011. until January 26, 2011.

• Foothold in most major Foothold in most major social media services social media services already.already.

• Lags behind peer agencies Lags behind peer agencies like NASA and USGS.like NASA and USGS.

• No official tsunami warning No official tsunami warning presence … yet.presence … yet.

(We’re working on it!)(We’re working on it!)

http://www.noaa.gov/socialmediahttp://www.noaa.gov/socialmedia

DoC/NOAA PolicyDoC/NOAA Policy• In 2008, there was a government-wide In 2008, there was a government-wide

shutdown of almost every government social shutdown of almost every government social media account due to concerns over the default media account due to concerns over the default Terms of Service agreements.Terms of Service agreements.

• NOAA’s experimental Tsunami Warning twitter NOAA’s experimental Tsunami Warning twitter & facebook accounts were deactivated then.& facebook accounts were deactivated then.

• From 2008-2010, the government negotiated From 2008-2010, the government negotiated new Terms of Service agreements with many new Terms of Service agreements with many social media services.social media services.

• On January 26, 2011, the Department of On January 26, 2011, the Department of Commerce (under which NOAA falls) issued its Commerce (under which NOAA falls) issued its “Policy on the Approval and Use of Social “Policy on the Approval and Use of Social Media and Web 2.0.”Media and Web 2.0.”

• http://www.osec.doc.gov/webresources/http://www.osec.doc.gov/webresources/socialmedia/DOC_Approved_Agreements.htmlsocialmedia/DOC_Approved_Agreements.html

What’s next?What’s next?

• Automatic tsunami warning tweets & FB postsAutomatic tsunami warning tweets & FB posts~ spring 2011~ spring 2011

• SMS text messaging serviceSMS text messaging service~ summer 2011~ summer 2011

• Tsunami.gov portalTsunami.gov portal~ fall 2011~ fall 2011aggregate all government tsunami websites into one with aggregate all government tsunami websites into one with greatly improved functionalitygreatly improved functionality

• Extend and enhance servicesExtend and enhance servicessome ideas: crowdsourcing tweets of tsunami some ideas: crowdsourcing tweets of tsunami observations, live video feeds from the warning centersobservations, live video feeds from the warning centers

Any questions?Any questions?Brian Shiro@brianshiro

brian.shiro@noaa.gov