2023 WhatsApp Solidarity Groups and Communication Practices Created in Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes

Revşan Şen; Selma Koç Akgül

Article Details

2023 WhatsApp Solidarity Groups and Communication Practices Created in Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes

Authors:

Revşan Şen | Selma Koç Akgül

Publisher:

Ankara University

Main Topics:

İletişim ve Medya Çalışmaları (Diğer)

Journal:

Afet ve Risk Dergisi Vol.6 Issue 4, pp.1410-1428

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001309063

pISSN:

2636-8390

Keywords:

Abstract:

 The research focuses on the solution of communication problems experienced during the emergency response period of the 06 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes and the usage practices of the WhatsApp application, which was used effectively for volunteer humanitarian aid organizations. For this reason, using the qualitative analysis method, 13 voluntary solidarity groups formed on WhatsApp for earthquake-stricken provinces were included in the scope of the research and data were collected by following them for 30 days from the day they were established. The collected data were analyzed through observation and document analysis. The aim of the research is to discuss the efficiency of the WhatsApp application, which is used by a wide audience, in the emergency response period, in particular in disaster communication, and to bring solutions to the issues of how and in which direction it can be developed. The findings of the research showed that WhatsApps features such as audio, image, video, voice and video calls are a tool that helps to realize a fast, effective and comprehensive communication process in the acute period of the earthquake. In volunteer WhatsApp solidarity groups, it was observed that a large number of posts were made on different topics including basic needs, transportation and finding missing disaster victims, as well as combating disinformation, especially the information of those trapped under the rubble. Although social media poses risks in terms of rapid dissemination of unconfirmed information, as a result, it is thought that WhatsApp, a global digital platform, can be used as an effective tool for sustainable communication in disaster emergency response, especially in combating disinformation.

 The research focuses on the solution of communication problems experienced during the emergency response period of the 06 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes and the usage practices of the WhatsApp application, which was used effectively for volunteer humanitarian aid organizations. For this reason, using the qualitative analysis method, 13 voluntary solidarity groups formed on WhatsApp for earthquake-stricken provinces were included in the scope of the research and data were collected by following them for 30 days from the day they were established. The collected data were analyzed through observation and document analysis. The aim of the research is to discuss the efficiency of the WhatsApp application, which is used by a wide audience, in the emergency response period, in particular in disaster communication, and to bring solutions to the issues of how and in which direction it can be developed. The findings of the research showed that WhatsApps features such as audio, image, video, voice and video calls are a tool that helps to realize a fast, effective and comprehensive communication process in the acute period of the earthquake. In volunteer WhatsApp solidarity groups, it was observed that a large number of posts were made on different topics including basic needs, transportation and finding missing disaster victims, as well as combating disinformation, especially the information of those trapped under the rubble. Although social media poses risks in terms of rapid dissemination of unconfirmed information, as a result, it is thought that WhatsApp, a global digital platform, can be used as an effective tool for sustainable communication in disaster emergency response, especially in combating disinformation.

 The research focuses on the solution of communication problems experienced during the emergency response period of the 06 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes and the usage practices of the WhatsApp application, which was used effectively for volunteer humanitarian aid organizations. For this reason, using the qualitative analysis method, 13 voluntary solidarity groups formed on WhatsApp for earthquake-stricken provinces were included in the scope of the research and data were collected by following them for 30 days from the day they were established. The collected data were analyzed through observation and document analysis. The aim of the research is to discuss the efficiency of the WhatsApp application, which is used by a wide audience, in the emergency response period, in particular in disaster communication, and to bring solutions to the issues of how and in which direction it can be developed. The findings of the research showed that WhatsApps features such as audio, image, video, voice and video calls are a tool that helps to realize a fast, effective and comprehensive communication process in the acute period of the earthquake. In volunteer WhatsApp solidarity groups, it was observed that a large number of posts were made on different topics including basic needs, transportation and finding missing disaster victims, as well as combating disinformation, especially the information of those trapped under the rubble. Although social media poses risks in terms of rapid dissemination of unconfirmed information, as a result, it is thought that WhatsApp, a global digital platform, can be used as an effective tool for sustainable communication in disaster emergency response, especially in combating disinformation.

 Araştırma, 06 Şubat 2023 Kahramanmaraş depremleri acil müdahale döneminde yaşanan iletişim sorunlarının çözümü ve gönüllü insani yardım organizasyonları için etkin kullanılan WhatsApp uygulamasının kullanım pratiklerine odaklanmıştır. Bu gerekçeyle nitel analiz yöntemi kullanılarak deprem yaşamış iller için WhatsApp üzerinden oluşturulmuş 13 gönüllü dayanışma grubu araştırma kapsamına alınmış ve kurulduğu günden itibaren 30 gün boyunca takip edilerek veriler toplanmıştır. Toplanan veriler gözlem ve döküman analizine tabi tutularak incelenmiştir. Araştırmanın amacı, geniş bir kitlenin kullandığı WhatsApp uygulamasının afet iletişimi özelinde acil müdahale döneminde verimliliğini tartışarak nasıl ve hangi yönde geliştirilebileceği konularına çözüm önerileri getirebilmektir. Araştırma bulguları WhatsAppın ses, görüntü, video, sesli ve görüntülü arama gibi özelliklerinin depremin akut döneminde hızlı, etkili ve kapsamlı bir iletişim sürecinin gerçekleşmesine yardımcı bir araç olduğunu göstermiştir. Gönüllü WhatsApp dayanışma gruplarında enkaz altında kalanların bilgileri başta olmak üzere temel ihtiyaçlar, ulaşım ve kaybolan afetzedelerin bulunması yanında dezenformasyonla mücadeleyi de içeren farklı konularda çok sayıda paylaşım yapıldığı görülmüştür. Sosyal medya teyit edilmeyen bilgilerin hızlı şekilde yayılması noktasında risk barındırıyor olsa da sonuç olarak, küreyerel bir dijital platform olan WhatsApp uygulamasının başta dezenformasyonla mücadele olmak üzere afet acil müdahalede sürdürülebilir iletişim için etkili bir araç olarak kullanılabileceği düşünülmektedir.

Article Details

2023 WhatsApp Solidarity Groups and Communication Practices Created in Kahramanmaraş Earthquakes

Authors:

Revşan Şen | Selma Koç Akgül

Publisher:

Ankara University

Main Topics:

İletişim ve Medya Çalışmaları (Diğer)

Journal:

Afet ve Risk Dergisi Vol.6 Issue 4, pp.1410-1428

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001309063

pISSN:

2636-8390

Disaster Communication

Earthquake

Crisis Communication

Hyperlocal Media

Social Media

WhatsAppAfet İletişimi

Deprem

Hiperyerel Medya

Kriz İletişimi

Sosyal Medya

Whatsapp

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Revşan Şen | Selma Koç Akgül

Publisher: Ankara University

Main Topics: İletişim ve Medya Çalışmaları (Diğer)

Journal: Afet ve Risk Dergisi Vol.6 Issue 4, pp.1410-1428

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 12/2023

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001309063

pISSN: 2636-8390

Issues

Authors:

Revşan Şen | Selma Koç Akgül

Publisher:

Ankara University

Main Topics:

İletişim ve Medya Çalışmaları (Diğer)

Journal:

Afet ve Risk Dergisi Vol.6 Issue 4, pp.1410-1428

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

12/2023

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001309063

pISSN:

2636-8390