Table 2 Categories of social media user (user groups).
Category of user | Description |
|---|---|
Emergency agency | Government agencies responsible for helping communities to prepare for, prevent, mitigate the effects of, respond to, or recover from disasters |
NGO/humanitarian | Non-profit organisations that aid vulnerable people and provide humanitarian assistance in times of armed conflict, famines, and natural disasters |
News media | Encompasses journalists, reporters, news agents, and other media organisations involved in disseminating news and information to the public |
Politician & political organisation | Includes politicians, elected public officials, political parties, special interest advocacy groups, and other formally organised associations aimed at achieving political agendas or influencing policy decisions |
Business | Entities involved in trading or other commercial activities, including small private businesses and large corporations |
Scientist & expert | Individuals with extensive training, expert knowledge, and insights to support decision making relating to the bushfires. Includes professors and distinguished academics, economists, medical experts, clinical psychologists, agricultural scientists, environmental consultants, structural engineers, meteorologists, etc |
Celebrity | Famous individuals, especially in the entertainment industry, who attract public attention and have large numbers of social media followers |
Community organisation | Community-based organisations established to provide services that build capacity, strengthen social connections, and improve the overall functioning of communities |
Other government agency | Other government-owned organisations that provide public services that are not related to emergency management |
Citizen | Ordinary members of the public who do not fall into any of the above categories |
