Constructing the digital ark: How China utilizes shared media to foster online information collaboration and crisis management in public emergency response

Abstract

With the prevalence of collaborative editing tools, such as shared documents, a digital rescue platform functionality has emerged to address major unforeseen events, displaying notable self-organizing characteristics. This study examines the transformative role of sharing technologies in crisis communication, using documents from the 2021 Zhengzhou flood and adopting an actor-network theory perspective. Investigating how sharing technology influences situational information, the findings highlight its creation of a real-time, collaborative, and detailed crisis information environment, fostering self-rescue initiatives and positive emotional support. The shift from a closed situational information pool to a dynamic digital network underscores the evolving landscape of crisis communication in the digital age. Self-negotiation and self-restraint mechanisms mitigate rumor transmission, providing robust information support for subsequent rescue efforts. This research contributes valuable insights into the intricate dynamics of sharing technologies in crisis communication.