Occasionally, I'm dramatically reminded of the true power of the Internet to bring people together, the reason why I've been involved in online communications for so long. In 2004 I wrote about the story of a father and son reunited after the tsunami when a relative spotted the child's photo posted on the Web by a Thai hospital. That event has stood as a glowing example of what useful information the Internet can provide.
When the devastating earthquake in Haiti knocked out major forms of communication, word got out via the Internet primarily through social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. Tweets and email messages from survivors, some simply saying "I'm ok," have been passed on to friends and relatives. Photos and videos of damage have been uploaded to sites like YouTube and various news outlets. Personal experiences by people on the ground were delivered via Skype and satellite phones. The American Red Cross has raised over $3 million using cell phone text messaging. (To donate $10 text "Haiti" to 90999.)
Now as we all grieve for the victims and families of this most recent disaster in Haiti, I find some comfort, however small, knowing that the Internet is helping to reunite loved ones, providing an outlet to express thoughts and feelings, soliciting donations to relief efforts, communicatiing stories of sorrow and heroism, and offering hope in the global recovery effort.
For news about Haiti & social media, view Mashable's coverage here: http://mashable.com/tag/haiti/.
CNN has developed a special area of their web site to help consolidate information about people in Haiti at http://www.cnn.com/haitimissing.
If you're interested in up-to-the-minute twitter reports from Haiti, follow Richard Morse, hotel manager at the Oloffson Hotel, or follow Haitian singer Wyclef Jean.
You can survey the wreckage via satellite imagery using Google Earth. For details and instructions, visit Mashable's excellent post.
As most of us know, technology can be a blessing or a curse. Right now it is a blessing for which I am grateful.
