Adversity is the best teacher. It brings out the best in people; something that might have remained hidden or unknown before. Such was the case with the use of social media during the deluge in Chennai.
Undoubtedly, it was the social media platforms that formed the backbone for the initial rescue and relief work done by the volunteers. Facebook and Twitter posts about the relief material needed were shared extensively, and people responded with offers of help or, at the very least, forwarded the message to others who could offer some help.
One of the best examples of the power of social media was when a young girl’s father passed away in Bengaluru and there was no way to inform her in Chennai. Messages started flying on social media and the news reached the girl, despite all the formal modes of communication being down.
Another excellent example was the extraordinary crowd sourcing initiative, which I had written about in my previous column . It was is a unique initiative where strangers came together with a common goal and contributed in a significant manner. All this and more was enabled by social media.
Read: Out of SyllabusThe power of crowdsourcing
Leveraging social media
How can everyone leverage social media on a regular basis? The first step would be to be aware of the enormous power and potential of social media, in terms of information gathering and dissemination. Not only is it the fastest, easiest way to spread information, it is also a zero-cost medium, today. On the flip side, one should also keep in mind that the information also need not always be valid or accurate.
Case in point is the set of rumours that made the rounds during Chennai floods about the lakes around the city having been breached. Another example would be the picture of army men evacuating people by creating a human bridge and allowing people to step over them to safety. This picture was not even from India, and yet, was shared by thousands of people.
Verify
The fundamental rule to leverage social media is to validate information before sharing or even posting about the same. Repeated sharing without checking the veracity of the content will definitely affect the credibility of the person.
The best way to leverage social media is to use it for effective crowd sourcing. Some situations where social media can be effectively used are:
~~ Getting feedback and suggestions for an idea.
~~ Popularising something. It could a project done by you, or an event being organised by you, or for the matter anything which is of interest.
~~ Collaborating for any activity.
~~ Reaching out to someone or a group of people for help or assistance.
There are enough examples for each of the above and several other ways that social media can be leveraged. The key to doing this is to be aware of its power and using it same effectively.
To read more from the Out of Syllabus section, click here .