How Social Media Rescued Our Social Consciousness

March 4, 2010 - By Justin E. Gehrke

March 4, 2010 – There are few people in the “connected” world who can say they don’t know what social media is. Whether the tool of choice is Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, or Buzz, more and more internet users flock each day to social media platforms. They do so for a variety of reasons. For some, social media provides a forum for them to meet like-minded people, with whom they can exchange remarks on the day’s events, share frustrations, and say things they would never dare say in person, for fear of embarrassment. For others, it’s a way to reconnect with old classmates and stay connected with current friends, both locally and around the world. Additionally, companies small and large have also recognized the potential that social media provides to attract and retain customers, as well as publicize sales and promotions. The question is whether or not there is any real value that society, as a whole can reap, from the proliferation of social media.

Are fun and sales the limit of social media’s reach?

Can social media really serve what can be categorized as a “useful” function? In part, these questions have been answered following the first significant natural disasters of this young decade. First, on January 12, 2010, the small Caribbean island of Haiti fell victim to a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. As if the event itself wasn’t bad enough, the impoverished infrastructure and ramshackle construction of many homes and buildings astronomically increased the number of injured (approximately 300,000) and dead (approximately 230,000). Then, on February 27, 2010, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off of the coast of South American nation of Chile. While the structural damage is far less and rescue efforts are still ongoing, the severity of the earthquake is estimated to have resulted in 700 deaths and countless people who are still unaccounted for. In the case of both events, humanitarian efforts are ongoing. As is the case, international aid organizations, such as the Red Cross, quickly mobilized an army of volunteers to assist in local and national rescue and aid efforts.

How has social media changed the way we learn about and respond to disaster?

While the role of the Red Cross is no different today, than it was 1863, the means through which they collect the donations vitally needed to continue their mission. Potential donors have been able to mail donations, donate in person at a local fund drive, or call an 800 number to be charitable. It wasn’t until the unprecedented rise of the micro-blogging platform, Twitter, which began providing services in 2006 and now boasts an estimated 73 million users, that non-profit organizations began to realize the true potential social media has to benefit those they seek to help.

The earthquake in Haiti is a perfect example of Twitter’s reach and influence. Within minutes of the quake, tweets began appearing from both on the island and off. Within an hour of the disaster, the Red Cross (@RedCross) posted a tweet pledging an initial amount of $200,000 in aid. By midnight they had set up a special line, to which SMS text messages could be sent. In a simple, 140-character post, the Red Cross told its followers: “You can text ‘HAITI’ to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross relief efforts in #haiti.” The resulting response went beyond what the Red Cross or anyone else, for that matter, could have ever imagined. Within hours, others also joined in to solicit relief donations. Included was musician and Haitian native Wyclef Jean who, via his Twitter account @Wyclef, asked his 1.3 million+ followers to “Please text “Yele” to 501501 to donate $5 to YELE HAITI.Your money will help with relief efforts. They need our help..please help if you can.” In his case, the response was so overwhelming that, within an hour, a new tweet was posted advising that the system was down, due to the unprecedented response.

The Red Cross on Twitter: Proof of concept that social media makes a difference.

As mentioned above, the Red Cross’ small step in posting donation solicitations via Twitter has reaped immeasurable benefits for the organizations and, more importantly, the victims they seek to assist. While they aren’t the only relief organization with a social media presence, their’s is undoubtedly one of the most well-known. According to a CNN article on the subject, the Red Cross raised more than $3 million, within the first 24 hours of the Haiti earthquake. By the following Sunday, the total had climbed to $21 million. Though the main donation mechanism was text messaging, there is no doubt word spread much more quickly and broadly thanks, in part, to Twitter and its users. To put it in proper perspective, the total donations received via text messages in 2009 to all charities was $4 million. Three-quarters of that amount was collected, within the first 24-hours of the earthquake occurring.

With last week’s earthquake in Chile, the social media response was just as swift and decisive. Having learned to appreciate its full potential, the Red Cross and other organizations immediately began mobilizing their operations, as normal, but they also initiated “virtual” operations, through their website, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms. This time, Google also jumped into the efforts launching the Google Person Finder: Chile Earthquake. This rapidly built platform allowed people from all over the world to post information regarding persons they were seeking or provide feedback on persons being sought. Though donation estimates relating to the Chile earthquake have yet to be released, there is little doubt that the monetary amount will far exceed that of past disasters.

Did the Red Cross do it all, on their own?

A statistical look at the number of Red Cross and Wyclef Jean followers on Twitter (89,949 and 1.4 million, respectively, as of this post) tells us that the amount of money collected via text messages far exceeds their initial reach. This is to say that the real key to the current success of donation solicitation, via social media, is each individual follower. Each Twitter user’s decision to act upon the tweet and donate, as well as their likelihood to retweet the post, is a personal one. For this reason, a case can be made for the distinct possibility that Twitter and other social media platforms have taken what was formerly a word-of-mouth, television, and radio distribution system and successfully converted it to an electronic one. Obviously, the action to retweet is quick and easy. This minimizes the possibility that a receiver of the information would ignore, based on the need for real effort on his or her part. Twitter and SMS have made being socially conscious much easier for the computing masses. Add to that the harnessing of social media by charitable organizations and you have a formula for monetary success that ultimately helps those far less fortunate than the common social media user.

Does this raised social consciousness have to end here?

The success story told above is not limited to natural disasters. We have already seen political campaigns, lobbyist groups, and other civic groups leverage the power of social media, for their own organizational gain. Using the example of these groups, as well as that of the Red Cross, it is possible for geographically-disconnected people to truly band together and initiate action that will receive global attention. All that is necessary is for each Twitter user to recognize how he or she can help be part of whatever potential solution is posted. Choosing to tweet and retweet, with a purpose and in support of someone or something else, does prove the user to In the end, it seems readily apparent. Social media can raise our social consciousness, if we let it!