(QLD Flood) Socially irresponsible use of twitter during an emergency

[Bragi]

I visited the main Queensland Australia flood twitter feed -- #qldfloods -- and saw two irresponsible uses of twitter during a disaster.

The first was people taking up space via the main hashtag for religious proselytizing; the second was using the stream for cause and relief fundraising.

During an emergency, twitter can be a really useful communications tool. It can help people udenrstand what is going on, it can give them strength, and can be used to convey critical information.

It is diminished as a tool, however, when it becomes cluttered up with marketing messages. No matter how well intended these marketers might be, their use of twitter streams in emergency settings is socially irresponsible and counter-productive from an emergency management standpoint.