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We often think of social media in divisive terms – selfies and the never-ending of pursuit likes – however in the wake of the devastating bushfires, social media has become a space that has powerfully brought the community together.
That’s the role that it is increasingly takes on in tragic events.
Sites like Facebook and Twitter are often where we first become aware of disasters. However, in tragedy, they are much more than a news source. These spaces have become the vehicle via which we interpret, respond, and get involved in these events. And it’s incredibly comforting.
Social media provides worried friends and family with the reassuring, “I’m OK.” Most notably such posts get shared and liked widely as a collective outpouring of support for those affected by the events- whether we know them or not!
Video shot on people’s phones have given us insight into the devastation they are facing, first hand. Traditional news outlets have been quick to live-report the unfolding events, however nothing gets more intimate as home-made footage of someone telling us their home has burnt down. Social media becomes an emotional conduit in crisis– those affected upload their posts to the world as a way of dealing with the tragedy, and we engage with it as a way of sharing our empathy and support.
Thousands more have turned to social media platforms to help. An online campaign led by Celeste Barber raised more than $30 million in just 3 days for volunteer firefighters. More than 410,000 people from around the world have pledged millions of dollars. Social media makes this possible.
The ways we use social media in reaction to natural disasters differs greatly from the reaction to acts of terror. The tragic New Zealand terrorist attack provoked a different type of response on social media, one that reaffirmed our nation’s generosity, but that collectively expressed our intolerance of inhumane action.
Many say that we have become less human because of technology. The communal spurring of compassion online shows that we are more human than ever. We are using tools from our digital era to voice how we are thinking and feeling, and to respond to the sadness around us. This is what humanity is.
We are still learning how to live with social media. At worst, it can be toxic. The bushfires have provided an optimistic glimpse of what it is at its best. If we continue from here, using technology to focus on care, good and community, we will be ok and so will others.
