Abstract
When disaster events capture global attention users of Twitter form transient interest communities that disseminate information and other messages online. This paper examines content related to Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda) as it hit the Philippines and triggered international humanitarian response and media attention. It reveals how Twitter conversations about disasters evolve over time, showing an issue attention cycle on a social media platform. The paper examines different functions of Twitter and the information hubs that drive and sustain conversation about the event. Content analysis shows that the majority of tweets contain information about the typhoon or its damage, and disaster relief activities. There are differences in types of content between the most retweeted messages and posts that are original tweets. Original tweets are more likely to come from ordinary users, who are more likely to tweet emotions, messages of support, and political content compared with official sources and key information hubs that include news organizations, aid organization, and celebrities. Original tweets reveal use of the site beyond information to relief coordination and response.
Highlights
The social network microblogging site Twitter has played an increasingly important role in communication during disasters, both on the side of the public and of institutions involved in disaster relief and response
Unlike much of the existing work in this area we analyzed retweeted messages and non-retweeted messages separately, allowing for a differentiated view of the site’s functions for those who compose original posts and those that are widely shared across the network, which often are from official sources and key information hubs
This research sought to provide an over-time examination of the various functions of Twitter, reflected by the types of messages that are posted, how these message types gain dominance and decline in frequency, the main communication or information hubs in the network and how their posts differ from those of the general Twitter public. By examining these throughout a 20-day period between the day before Haiyan, a predicted weather event, to the days when rescue and relief were in full force, we hope to show a more nuanced picture of the issue attention cycle on the Twitter network
Summary
The social network microblogging site Twitter has played an increasingly important role in communication during disasters, both on the side of the public and of institutions involved in disaster relief and response. Unlike much of the existing work in this area we analyzed retweeted messages and non-retweeted messages separately, allowing for a differentiated view of the site’s functions for those who compose original posts (most likely ordinary people) and those that are widely shared across the network, which often are from official sources and key information hubs This way results are not heavily skewed toward the types of messages that are most often shared, and the voices of ordinary Twitter users who are not often retweeted are not drowned out in the analysis. While there has been interest in the use of Twitter during crises [7, 8], this paper contributes to this growing body of work by focusing on how attention cycles operate in social media platforms and identifies the voices and messages that drive attention and conversation
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
