Elodie Fichet, Ph.D.

This empirical analysis examines the use of the live-streaming application Periscope in three crises that occurred in 2015. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of tweets relating to the Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia, Baltimore protests after Freddie Grey’s death, and Hurricane Joaquin flooding in South Carolina reveal that this recently deployed application is being used by both citizens and journalists for information sharing, crisis coverage and commentary. The accessibility and… Show more

This empirical analysis examines the use of the live-streaming application Periscope in three crises that occurred in 2015. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of tweets relating to the Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia, Baltimore protests after Freddie Grey’s death, and Hurricane Joaquin flooding in South Carolina reveal that this recently deployed application is being used by both citizens and journalists for information sharing, crisis coverage and commentary. The accessibility and immediacy of live video directly from crisis situations, and the embedded chats which overlay on top of a video feed, extend the possibilities of real-time interaction between remote crowds and those on the ground in a crisis. These empirical findings suggest several potential challenges and opportunities for responders.  Show less

This paper examines how “official” accounts participate in the propagation and correction of online rumors in the context of crisis events. Using an emerging method for interpretive analysis of “big” social data, we investigate the spread of online rumors through digital traces—in this case, tweets. Our study suggests that official accounts can help to slow the spread of a rumor by posting a denial, and—supported by reflections from an organization that recently dealt with a rumor-crisis—offers… Show more

This paper examines how “official” accounts participate in the propagation and correction of online rumors in the context of crisis events. Using an emerging method for interpretive analysis of “big” social data, we investigate the spread of online rumors through digital traces—in this case, tweets. Our study suggests that official accounts can help to slow the spread of a rumor by posting a denial, and—supported by reflections from an organization that recently dealt with a rumor-crisis—offers best practices for organizations around social media strategies and protocols. Based on tweet data and connections to existing literature, we also demonstrate and discuss how mainstream media participate in rumoring, and note the role of a new breed of online media, “breaking news” accounts. This analysis offers a complementary perspective to existing studies that use surveys and interviews to characterize the role official accounts play in online rumoring. Show less