Digital Emergency Communication (DIGeMERGE)

The project DIGeMERGE aims to develop new knowledge on the use of digital communication tools in the four Nordic countries Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland by exploring the promises and pitfalls of the sharing of emergency information on social media platforms and the incorporation of user-generated content into emergency management, including the risk of hostile exploitation and misinformation.

DIGeMERGE will thus help fill critical knowledge gaps of high relevance to the objectives and priorities of ‘Transformations: Social and Cultural Dynamics in the Digital Age’.The development and use of new communication tools is vital for emergency response outcomes.

During the past decade, a number of digital tools have made their way into emergency management (EM), providing cautionary advice and alerts to the public and targeted groups about risks and hazards, and increasingly also collecting data.

The market for digital EM tools has grown rapidly, with a plethora of civil society organizations, tech innovators and emergency agencies developing applications and services.

Under UN auspices, OCHA has adopted hashtag standards for emergencies, while Google’s Crisis Response initiative is partnering with international humanitarian agencies on tools like Person Finder.

Similarly, the Disaster Response Working Group at Facebook works with UNICEF and the Red Cross and to map population movements during disasters.These apps save lives by helping first responders locate callers and providing real-time information about hazards such as accidents and extreme weather in the user’s vicinity.

On the other hand, the new tools have ethical and societal implications that are poorly understood.

DIGeMERGE will help fill this knowledge gap, recognizing both the challenges of the new technologies, and their potential for saving lives.