Balancing tradition and technology: The evolving role of crisis communication during tropical cyclone (TC) weather events

Abstract

This study scrutinizes crisis communication, exploring the interplay between official government messages and the rise of TikTok as an information source during emergencies. It takes a case study approach focusing on Queensland, Australia, by capturing official media briefings and TikTok content for TC Jasper and TC Kirrily. Seven media conferences were analyzed using the IDEA model, examining the roles and messages of those present. Of note is the inclusion of 8 different political representatives across the briefings, adding a political complexity to the safety advice. Additionally, 100 TikTok videos (50 from each cyclone) were collected at the time of landfall. The findings highlight a significant gap in government engagement on TikTok, particularly during TC Jasper, where public-generated content (n = 26), including some misleading posts (n = 10) outside in the elements of the storm (n = 18), dominated. The absence of official government communication on TikTok, only two videos from the Premier’s account appeared in the TC Kirrily data, contrasted sharply with the structured, sometimes overly technical, media briefings. This study highlights the need for an integrated crisis communication approach that uses traditional and emerging media platforms like TikTok to enhance the dissemination of clear, actionable information to all demographics during emergencies.