And think about something like an earthquake. Depending on severity, power lines are affected and come come down altogether. Not much chance to report if broadcast networks down – much easier to use a smartphone.

And getting the facts right after the details have become clear is much more factual than suppositions on social media.

I love social media to bits, Dave, as you know. But sometimes it doesn’t do have the job that traditional media does, and we need to keep that in mind.

I think it is still worth putting this into perspective, as although social media is now instant this doesn’t account for quality. However I can see the mainstream media using Twitter to gather information on events as they happen, but like a lot of internet content this needs administering and checking for authenticity.

The instant reporting of Twitter makes it one of the most powerful social media platforms on the net, but I wonder if there will be something to challenge it soon, as the field seems to move so fast.

RT @knealemann: @davefleet has more about an #earthquake and #socialmedia. [link to post]

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@davefleet has more about an #earthquake and #socialmedia. [link to post]

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RT @davefleet: “Earthquake – Canadians Turn to Social Media Instead of Diving for Cover” [link to post]

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