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Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2013

Social Media and Its Dual Use in Biopreparedness: Communication and Visualization Tools in an Animal Bioterrorism Incident

Sjöberg, Elisabeth; Barker, Gary C.; Landgren, Jonas; Griberg, Isaac; Skiby, Jeffrey E.; Tubbin, Anna; von Stapelmohr, Anne; Härenstam, Malin; Jansson, Mikael; Knutsson, Rickard

Abstract

This article focuses on social media and interactive challenges for emergency organizations during a bioterrorism or agroterrorism incident, and it outlines the dual-use dilemma of social media. Attackers or terrorists can use social media as their modus operandi, and defenders, including emergency organizations in law enforcement and public and animal health, can use it for peaceful purposes. To get a better understanding of the uses of social media in these situations, a workshop was arranged in Stockholm, Sweden, to raise awareness about social media and animal bioterrorism threats. Fifty-six experts and crisis communicators from international and national organizations participated. As a result of the workshop, it was concluded that emergency organizations can collect valuable information and monitor social media before, during, and after an outbreak. In order to make use of interactive communication to obtain collective intelligence from the public, emergency organizations must adapt to social networking technologies, requiring multidisciplinary knowledge in the fields of information, communication, IT, and biopreparedness. Social network messaging during a disease outbreak can be visualized in stream graphs and networks showing clusters of Twitter and Facebook users. The visualization of social media can be an important preparedness tool in the response to bioterrorism and agroterrorism.

Published in

Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science
2013, volume: 11, number: Supplement 1, pages: S264-S275
Publisher: MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC

Authors' information

Sjöberg, Elisabeth
National Veterinary Institute (SVA)
Barker, Gary C.
Norwich Research Park
Landgren, Jonas
Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)
Griberg, Isaac
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Skiby, Jeffrey E.
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
Tubbin, Anna
Swedish Board of Agriculture
von Stapelmohr, Anne
Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB)
Härenstam, Malin
National Veterinary Institute (SVA)
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Division of Communication
Knutsson, Rickard
National Veterinary Institute (SVA)

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG16 Peace, justice and strong institutions

UKÄ Subject classification

Communication Studies

Publication Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/bsp.2013.0014

URI (permanent link to this page)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/76870