Journal
COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR
Volume 53, Issue -, Pages 238-248Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2015.06.040
Keywords
Crisis communication; Media dependency theory; Social media; Social media analysis; P-12 level
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Little is known about the effectiveness of social media in delivering information during active shooter incidents at the P-12 level. This study analyzed social media activity that occurred during and after two active shooter events on September 30, 2014. Over 5000 social media posts from Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and mainstream news outlets were analyzed. Social media analysis outlined the scope of online communication during the first week following the incidents, revealed social media frequency, increases in conversation, misinformation, and differences between parent and student posts. Results revealed spikes in social media chatter following the release of the identities of shooters and victims. Consistent with media dependency theory and the high levels of uncertainty characteristic of the incident, users' social media posts contained more information than affect displays during the active shooter event. Implications for scholars and P-12 administrators are discussed. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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