Facebook, Twitter can prove useful in tackling emergency situations

Social networking sites like Facebook may be used when an emergency situation arises to help students as well as keeping those not directly involved in the situation informed about the incident, a study said.Since students remain connected to Facebook most of the time, it is easier to alert them via Facebook about any emergency situation. The same insights might be applied in the business environment too.During the last two decades, criminal incidents such as shootings on campus, assaults and robberies, and natural disasters and disease outbreaks have put students and staff at risk."In such a situation, campus officials need to have their response plans in place and such plans should, in the era of almost ubiquitous mobile connectivity and social networking, accommodate these new communications tools," said Wencui Han from University at Buffalo, New York.Though, the campus officials are in touch with the students via campus radio or TV channel, such channels have their own limitations that can be countered by social networking sites. Facebook users are compelled to check for new notifications on their smart phones and other devices regularly.Also getting connected with students via Facebook or Twitter is also less expensive. The study appeared in the International Journal of Business Information Systems.IANS