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Social media: helper or scaremongers?

Social Media

Social media: helper or scaremongers?

Tweets, Facebook Live and Periscope Feeds can provide useful information to current events. The easy-to-ready-to-use Social media but it can also provide fast for panic.

Rampage in Munich, suicide bombing in Ansbach messages such as these have taken care of in the past few days headlines. And in the digital age, Social media serve as a common source of information. Hardly anything happens without eye-witness of landing reports in the Internet. Shocking incidents such as the rampage in Munich, the suicide bombing in Ansbach or the terrorist attack in nice, are not exempt. In such moments, the greatest Strengths and weaknesses of the Social media show at the same time.

The Terror expert Joachim Krause said in the Germany radio Interview that the Social media “were ambivalent to judge”. On the one hand, you could have authentic information, on the other hand, a lot of “garbage will spread”.

Speed and eye-witness reports

When it comes to speed, range, and mobility, are ahead of the Social media, the traditional media a big step. As long as you have an Internet connection, users can the photos and Videos of what you just Experienced to share. Million people to grab on the Material, no matter where you are. Such eye-witness reports can provide the Public with useful information – as long as they are useful and used Wisely.

Last Friday, the police and the authorities are using the Social media to keep the people in Munich. They shared areas of information to the potential Danger and cancellations. Most of the Munich police was active on Twitter, where she posted Updates in at least four languages.

For their work during the Major incident last Friday, the Munich police got a lot of positive Feedback. Police spokesman Marcus da Gloria Martin, who cared for peace in the media Chaos that has been praised in the highest tones and even has an own Facebook fan page.

Direct Support

Social media not only as a source of information. The content that is shared on Twitter and other platforms, can help the Victims and the needy immediately. For example, with the Hashtag #port ouvertes, or #in the open doors. The term appeared for the first time after the attacks in Paris in November 2015, when the Paris opened their doors to people who could not go home or, for example, as a visitor in the city were on the road. The inhabitants of Brussels and nice, did the Parisians the same and last Friday of the corresponding German Hashtag has been picked #OffeneTür in a number of Tweets in Munich.

Gestures such as these, but also other aid initiatives in Munich, such as, for example, the call to donate blood for the victims, make the club a force in the Social media during or after a tragic event.

Think first, then tweet

Tweets and Live Videos also have their tricks. Amidst the Chaos, the mood is heated, the Feeds are often full of photos from bloody scenes. Much is shared, without thinking about it.

Some mean well and only want to inform about the Situation. Others want to increase numbers in a cynical way, your click or to attract attention by sharing schockiernde photos. Many users tend to in those moments – especially on Twitter – to share posts, the content of which is not confirmed or come from unreliable sources.

Also, during the amok run in Munich that was so. A few minutes after the message was known, was full of wrong messages:

Even after the assassination in Ansbach, numerous speculations are circulating. Some users do not, therefore, appeal to other users, but also to the media to spread such rumours further, but better to wait until solid evidence is available.

Terrorists want attention

Even if the content of a contribution is confirmed, you should handle very carefully. Those who publish photos or Videos of the crime scene, or even the act itself, must know: By their attacks, terrorists want to get attention. You want as many people as possible will see your deeds, and fear. If you share such content, you are these people, and organization exactly what you want: attention. Ultimately, you play the terrorists in the hands.

Christian Christensen, Professor of journalism and Social Media expert at the University of Stockholm, he said a few hours after the terrorist attack in nice in a Tweet: Who ride footage of violent scenes from nice verb, it must also accept that he is a descendant of, ultimately, the desire of the terrorists.

Respect for the victims

After the events in Paris, Brussels, nice, Munich and Ansberg the request not to share such photos was one of the first reactions of the authorities and it was only out of respect for the Victims and their families.

Christian Christensen brought it in the following Tweet after the attack in nice, to the point: “If your lady would get run over by a truck, would you wish you could, then, shortly afterwards, photographs of the corpse circulating in the Social media?“

Police work does not hinder

Live pictures from the scene of the crime or from the ongoing police work is another Problem: you can use the perpetrators and thus, the work of the authorities to hinder. In Munich, the police had repeatedly and in several languages the Public is asked not to share such posts.

News about violent attacks are a sensitive issue, but the Situation is worst for the victims and the police. The users of Social media should think better twice about the consequences of the Retweet, Like or Share of certain content before they go viral.

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