What Technology Means to Chile

I blogged in January about how social networking played a huge role in getting funds and Red Cross relief to the people of Haiti after the earthquake. It seems that social media tools like Twitter, Facebook and some Google applications have proven to be equally as influential for the Chileans this past week as well. The difference? Chile's population at 16.7 million (less than the New York metropolitan area) ranks 4^th worldwide in terms of social media penetration amongst its home and work Internet audience. As of January 2010, 89% of the people there with regular Internet access use social networks. As a result, Chilean's are more able to help each other than solely depending on the outside world for aid.

According to USAToday.com, since Saturday's quake, "traditional media here have focused on hard news-death tolls, rescue efforts, government announcements and images of lootings-while social-networking tools... have been at the forefront of transmitting highly localized information."

Twitter messages stating "urgent" and offering free transportation or information about a lost loved one have been flooding the site. One user posted a link to a website with a list of supermarkets that remain open in the central-south region. The most popular topics involve finding family and friends, food and water and ways to receive and offer transportation.

While phone lines are jammed and the city is in chaos, one simple message on Facebook can reach hundreds of people, saving time and distress for many family members and friends. Internet-savvy Chilean's have been able to use Google's people finder (an application launched after the Haiti earthquake), adding more than 35,000 posts by Monday morning after the quake.

So what does this mean for Chile? A quicker recovery from the destruction, perhaps. No doubt the quake in Haiti seems more devastating because of the higher concentration of people in the city of Port Au Prince and the even higher death toll. But another thing that will contribute to Haiti's slower recovery is the people not having the resources to help themselves. Their vulnerability and lack of communication technology from within the city puts them at the complete mercy of the outside world for help.

The people of Chile will hopefully be able to aid in helping each other in bringing their country out of the depth of destruction simply by being able to better communicate with each other and the world around them. Pretty cool, right? My colleagues and I have written a number of blogs on the importance of social media, the perils of social media and what the future may hold for social media. No matter what your opinion is, one thing's for certain after Saturday's disaster: it keeps us connected in more ways than ever before and when other forms of communication fail, most people are grateful to have another vehicle to stay in touch with those around them.

Tara Young, Marketing Coordinator
Unified360

What Technology Means to Haiti, Post-Devastation

In wake of the magnitude-7 earthquake in Port Au Prince, Haiti, the international response from NGO's, non-profits, ministries, and other organizations has been nothing short of overwhelming and generous.  In a country where nearly everything is destroyed, technology has proved to be indispensible in aiding relief efforts to get Haitian's the help they need.

Technology was weak, at best, before the earthquake even hit. Immediately after, everything was shattered- buildings, homes, lives, and the local infrastructure that allowed for communication of critical information to surrounding areas. In other words, without the ability to communicate, the result is sheer panic and chaos on top of imaginable devastation.

Fortunately, fixed satellite services providers were able to quickly provide links through their networks to support governments and non-governmental organizations, media, telecommunication operators and humanitarian efforts all over the world. Additionally, Google-Earth was able to upload post-quake satellite images, giving people around the world a "Birds-Eye View" of what was going on within hours of it happening. The world's most popular mapping tool has contributed immensely to raising awareness and helping relief workers find the neediest disaster areas.

The role of technology after the earthquake doesn't stop there. Because of the viral capabilities social networking has on our society, news of the disaster spread to Facebook and Twitter within minutes. That's when online donating began. People encouraged others through their statuses to donate to a relief fund as well as providing them a link to do so. Around the world, people began texting their donations that would be added to their phone bills.

"In terms of information and awareness, this is the most immediate disaster we've ever had," says Marguerite Madden, a geography professor at University of Georgia who co-chairs the Gi4DM summit, where attendees discuss how to leverage spatial images during times of crisis. "Within 24 hours, it was literally everywhere."

It truly is amazing the role technology has played in the wake of this natural disaster. Some are estimating that it will take over ten years for Haiti to recover. But because of technology, and the charitable efforts of people and governments from around the world, at least there is hope.

Tara Young, Marketing Coordinator
Unified360