Digitalizing public emergency communication: New technologies and Debates

This course explores emergency management and crisis communication, focusing on challenges and opportunities presented by new communication technologies. New digital tools for public emergency communication such as emergency apps for smartphones, location-based text messaging and cell broadcast emergency alerts offer advantages in terms of scale, reach and speed of communication, while also presenting new challenges to first responders, the general public and emergency planners. Key questions discussed in this course are: How can public emergency alerting systems warn citizens more quickly about threats like floods and fires? What are the opportunities and challenges of using social media to share information about emergencies? What is the best way to collect information form the public and how do people find the best and most reliable sources of information during emergencies? How do people use digital tools such as emergency mobile apps? What is helpful and what can go wrong with these tools?

Course participants will investigate how digital tools enhance communication among first responders and with the public, while also addressing critical questions about the challenges presented by the use of new technologies for emergency communication: Can the new tools protect personal data? What are the ethical dilemmas involved in the use of communication platforms such as social media? What are the new data processing needs, if or when new technologies draw on AI? Who decides what exactly is communicated to the public, when an “emergency” is declared? Key topics of this course include digital emergency communication protocols and guidelines, data privacy, the use of social media for emergency communication and the societal implications of digital public emergency and public safety tools and solutions.