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UPDATE: Tsunami 2.0: A Natural Disaster And The Virtual Response

If a mega wave crashes against a shore and no one is there to tweet about it, does it make a sound?

March 16: Pacifica Patch's latest story on this issue is . 

March 15: Check out our latest coverage of social media response to the Japan quake . 

, its aftershocks and the following on Friday morning for the U.S. West Coast traveled fast thanks to the Internet-based news media. Responses to the tragedy in Japan and the annoyance on the West Coast came within seconds via social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook. 

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Here's a look at some of the ways people spread the word about the destruction and aid efforts, what worked, what didn't and what it all means. 

Tsunami on Twitter

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Social media sites like Twitter were and are buzzing with real-time updates of Japan’s efforts to recuperate after the national tragedy.

While this article was written, the Associated Press “tweeted” a message to the social site with news that Japan’s official death toll to has been confirmed at 686.

Not only news makers are joining the micro-blogging conversation, however. With messages of 140 characters or less people are sharing their first hand accounts of Japan's quake and tsunami.

As a way to follow the conversation, Twitter users use "hashtags", or a short phrase preceded by a # symbol that when typed into Twitter's search box brings up all the micro-blogs about that topic.

The most popular trending topics on Twitter today are related to the quake in Japan; #prayforjapan is one of them.

Following the announcement by Japan's nuclear authorities that a plant in Fukushima may be at risk of a meltdown, the topic Fukushima also sky rocketed to the top of Twitter's worldwide "trending" list.

Missing someone in the quake? Google them. 

Local Mountain View-based tech giant, Google, is also harnessing the power of the Internet to provide Japanese nationals with a tool to help locate missing persons.

The Google Person Finder is simply a web application which creates a database of missing persons. Anyone who pulls up the site can either choose the option "I'm looking for someone" or "I have information about someone."

Based on the searchable terms entered, a database of persons is mined by the application.

The Google Person Finder for Japan is currently tracking records of 67,800 people. This tool was also employed in Christchurch, New Zealand following the quake that hit the city last month.   

Google is also providing a way to document the after effects of the tragedy via the widely used application Google Maps.

Using the application, Google created a map of Japan called "Japan Earthquake Photos" which enables people to add photos of destruction caused by the tsunami and series of earthquakes to a point on the map.

Furthermore, videos and photos of the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami have been posted to the web, of USGS scientists explaining that this earthquake is the worst recorded quake in Japan’s history.

UPDATE: Tsunami and Earthquake on Facebook and YouTube

Social media sites Youtube and Facebook are also being used to respond to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and across the globe. 

The United Nations’ International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is using Facebook and Youtube to broadcast news updates on the Fukushima nuclear plant where an explosion occurred following the earthquake and tsunami.

One Youtube video features IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano, who made a statement on the natural disaster that occurred in his country of origin.

“I have followed the news of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami very closely and with great sadness,” said Amano."My heart goes out to the people of my home country as they rise to the challenge of this immense tragedy."

The IAEA Facebook page has also become a forum for the 10,647 people who “like” the agency’s social profile, as the agency is posting regular updates on the effects that the earthquake and tsunami have had on nuclear plants in Japan.

What does this virtual response mean?

One can't help but wonder if the rapid spread of news on the Internet is also an essential element to helping Japan rebuild after the devastating effects of this natural disaster. Beside being able to stay in tune with the happenings in Japan via the Internet, peoeple can also make online donations to the rebuild efforts.

One can even #prayforJapan on the Internet.

That said, the merits for using the Internet and social media sites for social good are still being tested.

Take for example Microsoft's attempt to donate $100,000 dollars to Japan by way of a social media campaign.

Microsoft tweeted from its Bing Twitter account that it would donate $1 dollar for every re-tweet of Bing's original message: "How you can #SupportJapan http://binged.it/fEh7iT. For every retweet, @bing will give $1 to Japan quake victims, up to $100K."

It didn't take long for Twitter users to point out, with foul langauge which we won't repeat here, that this smelled like a marketing campaign for Microsoft's search engine, Bing.

But social media for social good has worked before and it may work in the case of Japan.

Many social(media)ites are also bloggers. There is a campaign going around to add a banner to blogs (or any website for that matter) that contains a link to a Red Cross website where people can make a donation.

This campaign could raise some serious cash because it's simple and its audience could be potentially huge. Just think if all of your favorite websites decided to use this same banner, what the implications could be.  

In the coming days, weeks and months that it takes to rebuild Japan, we may see even more interesting (and effective) social on the Internet that could have a lasting impact.

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