Social Media Defeating Traditional Communication in Brisbane Flood

As a previous resident and nearby inhabitant, I've seen first-hand the devastation that is the Brisbane floods.

Beside the most tragic outcomes of the flood, the follow-on effects has taken its toll on the most elementary requirements for human existence.

Food and fuel is becoming scarcer, but also the strains on electrical, water and communications infrastructure.

As more people become affected by the floods, the more they have been relying on communication to their families, friends and everyone in between. The problem with this is that, the communications infrastructure has already taken a severe beating by mother nature, and now 100,000's of people rely on traditional technology to get the message out (or not to feel so alone).

Something happened this year though, something that we didn't possess 118 years ago, or in 1978 - Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

These digital giants have really come into their own:

Facebook: Friends and family have instant knowledge and updates simultaneously from those they care about the most, sharing images and stories as the floods begin to recede

Twitter: A continuous stream of updates and newsworthy mentions from near, and heartfelt sympathy from afar

YouTube: Hosting a brilliant collection of footage from those right in the midst of it all

These networks have allowed us to connect in a truly different level, and the band of togetherness that holds Brisbane's modern society intact seems to be allowing us to achieve this more directly.

What's your Brisbane flood Social Media story?

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Until Next Time,
Tomer Garzberg (Keynote Social Media Speaker and Social Technologist)
Australia to the World: Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne
www.strongmandigital.com.au

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