Two weeks ago, the tragic Boston Bombings occurred at the Boston Marathon. Hundreds were wounded and a few killed. What was amazing to me about the attack was how the news was spread about what was happening in regard to the victims, the suspects and all the details in between. Not only was social media one of the main ways people were being informed about what was going on, but the police and the FBI used crowd sourcing through social media to identify the suspects. Twitter and Facebook have become such a major part of our everyday lives that they became key factors in informing the public about updates regarding the investigation. Participants in the marathon posted videos and pictures of the attack and the people that were hurt by it. The police used the social media platforms to reach people to come forward with these pictures or any information they had regarding to the attacks. The FBI also released photos of the suspects all over the media and in less than 24 hours the suspects were found.
Just looking back at how far social media has impacted our lives is absolutely incredible. It is not just a place to see what your friends are up to, but a place where police can crowd source an investigation and use the publics help to solve cases. I don't know how the suspects would have been identified and caught so quickly if it wasn't for the help of social media to spread the word and capture information.
No comments:
Post a Comment