Digital Humanitarians
Digital Humanitarians try to make sense of newly available big data about disasters and conflicts to pass the most important information on to humanitarian organizations, and you can help!
With the rise of the internet and social media a lot more data from around the globe has become readily available to us. After a disaster or during a conflict data and with that information are of utmost importance, but a overflow of information might pose just as much of a challenge as a lack of information. This enormous mountain of data and information is often referred to as Big Data. Making sense of Big Data is a huge challenge but promises to be incredibly helpful for humanitarian organizations. It is therefore that Digital Humanitarians grabbed on with both hands and have not let go.
After a disaster or during a conflict Information is highly important for humanitarian organizations. What aid is needed, where and why? might be the most important questions in need of an answer but also information about the different actors at play might be incredibly useful for organizations trying to maneuver aid in an unstable situation. Through the rise of social media such as Twitter and Facebook this type of information can much easier be shared, however the data and information available might overwhelm organizations. With so much information, where to start?
Digital Humanitarians, through different organizations and networks, try to make sense of the data available. Verifying and mapping tweets, passing on the information that is important to the right organizations. And that with nothing more than a computer and a wifi connection.
How to get involved
It is not too difficult to become a Digital Humanitarian. You do not need any technical experience. The only requirements are motivation, time and a connection to the internet.
If you want to get involved, have a look at the following websites;
Source: Digital Humanitarians
