Civil protection and social media: communication of the risk and the risk of communication

Social networks are becoming actually the new mass-media, the place where, increasingly, things happen and where information travels continuously. The dissemination speed, the reaction time and the multi-direction flow influence both the form and the content of the communication, putting into question models,languages and priorities.

The civil protection system cannot remain indifferent to these changes. But the use of social media entails also difficulties and problems - such as reliability and validation of information - that deserve careful consideration, especially given the specificity of the Italian model of civil protection.

For this reason the Department of Civil Protection has decided to begin a course of study with the intention to strengthen and progressively refine the tools of communication with citizens. The day "Civil protection and social media: communication of the risk and risk communication " is a first step in this direction.