You will prepare and submit a term paper on The Role of Social Media in Crisis Management. Your paper should be a minimum of 4750 words in length.

You will prepare and submit a term paper on The Role of Social Media in Crisis Management. Your paper should be a minimum of 4750 words in length. Four major functions played by social media are then connected to the three basic management phases expected whenever there is a crisis. The phases include preparedness, response, and an opportunity for recovery. These phases describe how different social media tools can be used to develop communications during a crisis. At the end of the essay, there is a proposal framework on possible ways that can be utilized in enhancing the use of social media by the government officials during times of crisis. For this to be achieved, it would be necessary to seek a mandate, separate the guidelines, as well as develop the three major capabilities available.

Keywords: social media. situational awareness. crises. citizen journalism. societal dynamics. standard opening procedures. preparedness

Introduction

Social media represents a new explosion that has been experienced across the world and created several new roles for ordinary citizens. Most of these roles range greatly from the act of journalism to the stimulation of effective political change (Gainous & Wagner, 2014, p. 111). Citizens are currently tasked with the role of sharing news, eccentricities, and even events in the global environment. Furthermore, citizens also play a critical role in responding quickly to relevant calls in the event of crises or rather natural disasters. Social media websites are often accessed through the use of digital devices such as smartphones, tablets, and other digital devices. These digital platforms have enabled most individuals to communicate effectively with their family members and friends during cases when landline communication has been rendered defunct due to a crisis.

In the aftermath of a crisis, the emergency response officials can use social media reports to obtain geolocation information regarding the affected individuals (Edwards & Santos, 2015, p. 87). Furthermore, the citizens themselves could use the social media platform to locate favorable destinations offering relevant aid services. Regardless of the several advantages that come with the use of social media in the management of the crisis, there are a number of issues that have been raised by communication experts with regard to the effectiveness of this method.