Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Weeks

Session title: Debate on the scope of social media during crisis communication

Organizer(s): Avoidable Deaths Network (ADN)

21 Mar 25 09:00-10:00 UTC-5

SessionAbstract

Proactive crisis communication plays a vital role in reducing the number of avoidable deaths during natural hazard disasters or public health emergencies. Likewise, disseminating authentic and accurate information helps individuals safeguard themselves from physical harm and psychological complexities during emergencies (Coombs, 2016).

Furthermore, organizations that demonstrate adaptability and leverage multiple communication channels positively impact the crisis management process (Fuller et al., 2020). For example, the government of Kerala in India used proactive crisis communication strategies during COVID-19, which ensured stakeholders’ engagement and played a pivotal role in effectively managing the crisis (Sanjeev et al., 2021).

However, in this digital era, social media has emerged as a double-edged sword for leaders in the public sector, particularly during crisis communication. The rapid proliferation of fake news undermines public trust and adversely impacts the efforts to manage crises (Zheng et al., 2020). Therefore, the amplification of misinformation about the countermeasures during COVID-19 warranted the need for effective crisis communication strategies (Royan et al., 2022).

Simultaneously, social media platforms offer unique opportunities to leaders for effective communication during emergencies and crises, enabling leaders to directly engage with citizens through two-way communication, bridge the trust deficit, and enhance transparency (Ly-Le, 2019; Cannaerts, 2020). This active engagement through social media with the public strengthens community resilience during crises, enhancing compliance with health guidelines (Bukar et al., 202; Raharja et al., 2019).

Moreover, proactive crisis communication strategies also align with the UN’s ‘Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction’, particularly the first two of its seven targets: ‘Substantially reduce disaster mortality by 2030 (Target A) and Substantially reduce the number of affected people by disasters by 2030 (Target B).

Therefore, it is important to build a moot point,whether social media is the enabler of effective crisis communication or the obstacle to it. These two key questions need to be explored: what major challenges are posed by social media to leaders in effectively communicating during a crisis? how can leaders and crisis managers leverage social media to effectively manage crises and reduce the number of avoidable deaths?

Thissessionwill engage with these questions and also invite the audience to engage with them.

Agenda

Agenda:

1) To maximize the visibility of crisis communication as an anticipatory action for reducing avoidable deaths by employing effective and proactive communication strategies;

2)To enhance awareness about avoidable disaster deaths among the audience as well as the organizers. The innovative idea of an engaging debate offers a unique opportunity for the audience and the organizers to learn from each other;

3) To provide a vibrant platform for communication experts, crisis leaders, NGOs, students, academics and researchersto share their informed insights about disaster deaths and crisis communication;

4) To discuss and deliberate about the scope and significance of crisis communication as an effective component of crisis preparedness to significantly reduce the number of avoidable deaths and people affected by disasters by 2030;

5) It is pertinent to highlight that ADN is part of the Sendai Framework’s Voluntary Commitments (SFVC) Platform. Our Voluntary Commitments to the UNDRR are inked until 2030, especially focusing on the first two targets of the Sendai Framework. Therefore, this session promises an opportunity to not only manifest our commitments to the UNDRR but also maximize the visibility of our continued endeavors at the UNOCHA’s Summit in Geneva; and

6) Above all, this interesting and innovative debate seeks to promote awareness and enhance knowledge about the theory and practice related to avoidable deaths and crisis communication strategies as an effective tool for crisis preparedness.

Session Format

The event consists of 60 minutes.

Each speaker will speak for 15 minutes (45 minutes), and during the remaining time, the audience will be invited to engage and ask questions to the speakers. The questions will be moderated by the chair.

ADN's social media team has the requisite skills and experience to conduct virtual events regularly with ADN partners on topics related to development, humanitarian, health, and global disaster risk reduction, avoidable deaths (among others).

Speakers

Chair: Mr Asad Tahir

Dr Paul Reilly, Sr lecturer in Communications, Media and Democracy, University of Glasgow, UK

Dr Jamie Wardman, Associate Professor in Risk Management, University of Leicester, UK

Dr Christian Morgner, Sr Lecturer in Cultural and Creative Industries, Sheffield University, UK