While the negative consequences of social media use have been well documented, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign discovered a surprising benefit in its ability to inform the public about climate change risks and disaster preparation. The research demonstrates how those more socially connected to regions impacted by natural disasters are more likely to be prepared for climate tragedies in the future.
Professor of Agriculture and Consumer Economics Yilan Xu noticed an increase in flood insurance signups in the years following Hurricane Harvey and Irma in counties unaffected by the storms in Flordia and Texas. Upon investigation, Xu found a relationship between prepared counties and affected counties based on the richness of their social connections, showing a ripple effect on disaster preparations.
Behavioral changes in response to climate risk perception were measured using the Facebook Social Connectedness Index, which gauges the social “connectedness between two geographic areas.” The researchers found that 81,000 flood insurance policy registrations in unflooded counties were attributed to their “social network proximity” to flooded counties, according to Xu.
Xu stated that this finding indicates how social media can be an essential tool for disseminating information about disaster risk and preparedness strategies during climate catastrophes. Expanding on the usefulness of social media in sharing disaster adaptation and mitigation could be further explored to help save lives during natural disasters.
By Sarah Ortega