Evolution of a Search: The Use of Dynamic Twitter Searches During Superstorm Sandy

Conclusion The most important lesson learned from Superstorm Sandy was the need for a dynamic and flexible monitoring process and strategy to understand and respond quickly to health needs in the areas impacted by Superstorm Sandy. Search strategies should change as frequently as the unfolding event. The inability to adapt to a changing situation ensures stale and stagnant terminology and search results. Twitter lists and Boolean searches should be used together to maximize situational awareness. The most important information comes from the impacted population, whether news, local government or local citizens. These are the people who care the most about the information being disseminated. The low number of geo-located tweets and inability to filter tweets based on location in many tools can present a problem in locating tweets from directly impacted areas. Therefore, the use of a targeted Twitter list can help to overcome this hurdle while simultaneously providing more trustworthy content. This information can often be used to guide what additional Boolean searches should be created to fish for individual tweets that provide additional details. In addition, each disaster presents its own unique hazards and challenges. An understanding of the impacted populations and communities will allow for the development of a more thoughtful and complete Twitter monitoring strategy. This includes taking into account the demographics of the impacted area, whether the area is urban or rur...
Source: PLOS Currents Disasters - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Source Type: research