More reasons to exercise caution using social media for mass notification and alerting

There's little question that social media in now a valuable tool for emergency managers, with incidents such as the tsunami in Japan and last spring's tornadoes that swept across the southern U.S. making that point crystal clear.

However, as we're all aware, social media, at last in its present state, is far from being an end-all for emergency mass notification communications.

Aside from issues of privacy, security and the oft cited information overload, there is quite simply the matter of social media's overall effectiveness.  While we often reference senior citizens, it's hardly just seniors who resist new technology.  In truth, many of the people you need to reach in an emergency have never felt comfortable with the internet.  Consequently, their first thoughts will not be to go on line when a crisis strikes.  And connection problems as well as rumors about identity theft and computer viruses affecting social media users do little to improve their comfort level.  Add to that daily evidence in the media that once something is posted--no matter how embarrassing--it's impossible to take back, and it's easy to see why some people can be downright unsocial when it comes to social media.

Then there are those who, though not particularly uncomfortable with the internet, simply don't access it on a consistent basis.  For many going on line is more a matter of entertainment than necessity, while for others it's just too much like going to work.

Of particular interest to EMs is the matter of information integrity.  Frankly, it's virtually impossible to limit who participates in the "groups" that are central to the whole concept of social media...and that makes it just as impossible to curb rumors and false information, and even prevent information from being altered.

There's also the problem of competing with amateurs ready to share their "expertise" in crisis management with fellow citizens.  Their assistance and suggestions to the general public could, in fact, do more harm than good.

Another issue for EMs is that once the decision is made to make yourself available to citizens through social media, you're going to have to make sure that you're available whether there's an emergency or not.  This includes responding in a timely fashion to all requests for information, whether there's an emergency or not.

It's true enough that for people who use it all the time, social media is clearly the best if not the only way to alert them.  Nevertheless, it makes sense to continue to look social media's effectiveness with some measure of caution...and as just one of many tools available for mass notification.