As I write this entry from the comfort of my cosy living room on a blustery, rainy and grim March English morning, I am thankful. Lucky actually, that the wind is only blowing at 20mph and that it is a happy 8oC – mild weather in context. Japan on the other hand is grappling with the most fearsome natural disaster in its history.
Typically today, I have viewed my LinkedIn page, my wife has brushed over her Facebook page making idle chit-chat and we have both just cantered through the daily internet commute. Social site and internet normality in today’s currency. What those Facebook and twitter boffins didn’t count on was the sheer positive impact their genius would deliver in times of natural disaster. Maybe they did?
The social heavies Twitter and Facebook have stepped up to the plate when other forms of communication have wilted. With hundreds of citizens known to be dead and thousands more missing in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami, these formidable networks – together with Skype – proved to be the vital link that kept families in touch with their loved ones and reassure friends from overseas that they were OK. A minor miracle in my book.
There was massive damage to buildings and roads, electrical blackouts, landlines were down and mobile phones worked only intermittently. So, countless people in Japan and around the world took to Twitter and Facebook – as did the emergency services. Social communications seem to be at their best in this sort of unpredicted emergency. They have been there for almost everybody to keep communications going. One hour after the quake, Online Social Media, which tracks social media services, reported 1,200 tweets being posted on Twitter every minute. Relief organisations used Twitter to post information about everything from emergency phone lines for non-Japanese speakers to lists of shelters for those left homeless.
On Facebook, people posted thoughts and prayers for the people of Japan, but used their updates to tell friends and family where they are and how they were doing. Facebook Pages like Japan Earthquake also appeared, grabbing nearly 3,000 followers in about 12 hours. The No. 1 trending topic on Twitter right now concerns the 90999 text message number for Red Cross relief. Social networks have brought out the best in people, encouraging them not only to take action but also supporting them in those efforts to bring relief to the victims of this catastrophe. Many modern technologies isolate us from our fellow beings, but social networking tools have shown their ability to unify us as human beings, and to bring out the best in our natures.In Tokyo, with residents unable to send text messages to friends and loved ones Twitter, Facebook, and Japanese social-media site Mixi filled the communication gap.
We should celebrate this modern phenomenon. To those sceptics who all too easily cast negativity onto the social media ‘thing’ take a bow. I have certainly been guilty of this in the past, despite participating in the revolution. Watching the ‘social network’ did make me feel a tad green with envy, I guess? Perhaps we should all take off our ‘quick-shooting, journalistic opinionated hats off. I know it has just made me take an hour or two to think.
Mike Emmett is a Director at Happy Creative, a full service marketing and creative agency based in Blackpool, Lancashire. To learn more or contact us please go to www.happy-creative.co.uk
