In Disasters, Twitter Influencers Get Out-Tweeted (IMAGE)
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When it comes to sharing emergency information during natural disasters, new University of Vermont research shows how timing is everything.
The new study on Twitter use during hurricanes, floods and tornadoes offers potentially life-saving data about how information is disseminated in emergency situations, and by whom.
The research, in PLOS ONE, finds that Twitter users with small networks (100-200 followers) increase activity more than those with larger networks in these situations. It also finds that each disaster type has a unique pattern of social media use. The results have important implications for government agencies and organizations responsible for emergency preparations.
Pictured is a US Coast Guard Flood Response team coordinates with the Louisiana Fire Department and other local officials helping to evacuate citizens from the major flooding that caused damage across Louisiana in 2016.
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