Social Media in a Disaster: Technology, Ethics and Society in Tōhoku in March 2011

Abstract

How does information and communication technology (ICT) influence on a social bond beyond the borders between real and virtual spaces? This study explores how people use social media under serious social conditions, and how social media affects people’s behaviour after a disaster based on the case of the 3.11 earthquake and tsunami in 2011 in Japan. Under the critical situation where existing traditional media like phones, television, radio and newspapers did not work well, the Japanese exchanged and received information actively through social media. In fact, many disaster victims were rescued based on information via social media. It seems that those Internet media played an important role in fostering a social network and a social bond leading to generating social capital in the end. Corresponding to people’s need, social media provided various services to support people immediately after the disaster. On the other hand, however, there were endless disinformation and misinformation by using social media. How should we handle a flood of information ethically? This study examines the characteristics of ICT use under the disaster and reconsiders the role of social media in improving people’s lives as well as the difficulties in people bonding together from the perspective of information ethics.