The Boston Marathon spiraled into a bloody horror scene as two bombs struck near the finish line on April 15.
It was the first terrorist act on American soil since 9/11 – when things like Facebook, Twitter and smartphones didn’t exist. But today they play a substantial role in relaying information to the public. In fact, it was smartphones that helped capture the suspect now in custody.
The Boston Marathon bombing investigation made use of crowd sourcing to collect photos and video from cell phones and surveillance cameras. Pictures of two suspects were made public a little more than 72 hours after the explosions, and the last suspect was arrested 29 hours later.
“This is the new normal,” said Richard Hite, chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD). “We have to go where the technology takes us. The negative aspect of it is trying to keep up.”
News sources everywhere were trying to “keep up” as daily reports became visible with a click of a button during the bombing incident.
A report released by the Pew Research Center reveals that 25 percent of Americans obtained their information regarding the Boston Marathon bombings through Twitter and Facebook. This is especially true among the younger generation; in the age group of 18 to 29-years-old where 56 percent obtained the information through social media.
Major mistakes were reported from credible news sources like The Associated Press and CNN. Both inaccurately reported the suspects being apprehended before they actually were. Reports reveal false information was re-tweeted 87 times and spread by other news agencies – ultimately misinforming multitudes of people.
“The disadvantage of social media is validating the tips,” said Valerie Washington, deputy director of the Indianapolis Department of Public Safety.
According to Kendale Adams, a public information officer for the department of public safety, social media plays a role in IMPD’s efforts to combat crime.
“We currently use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Nixle in different ways to connect with the community. Boston taught IMPD that as an agency we must prepare for social media in a way that allows community interaction,” Adams said.
Nixle is a social platform for law enforcement. Its mission is to enable government agencies, small to medium size businesses and enterprise-level organizations to communicate in a secure way and exchange multimedia content over a trusted mobile platform.
The Department of Public Safety and IMPD are beginning serious discussions on ramping up their social media footprint in a more coordinated way.
“We want to make sure we are getting feedback from citizens too. It’s a two-way conversation,” IMPD Chief Hite said.
The public can connect with IMPD on Twitter @IMPD_News and Facebook at Facebook.com/pages/IndyUnsolved.
