Humanitarian information in the network age

Regular information channels fail in the chaos of a crisis, such as an earthquake or a war. Key people may have died, and information infrastructure, such as cellular and Internet links, may not work. Essential personnel may be inaccessible and Government offices closed or, as in Haiti, destroyed. Community level structures, such as mandated village evacuation points, may be overwhelmed. Where conflict is under way, the generation and collection of information might pose serious risks. Many countries have poor baseline data or a limited ability to access the right information quickly, as needed in an emergency.

Related Subject(s): Public Health