January 2021

Integration of Social Media into Emergency Public Information

An effective emergency public information (EPI) program can enhance the ability of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), including the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), to protect the health and safety of the public and workers during an emergency response, as well as contributing to the overall credibility of DOE and NNSA. Social media and information-sharing networks have significantly affected the source, means of transmission, and substance of information provided to the public and onsite workers during a response. During an emergency, information promulgated on social media by outside sources, which may or may not be factual, has the potential to impact the actions of the public and onsite workers. For example, failure to respond promptly to requests for information from the public and media outlets early in the response can lead to the spreading of false information, misinformation, or rumors, and can lead to independent actions by onsite workers and the public that impact and impede the response.