Citizens got panicked when an earthquake rocked New York last week. They immediately started calling family and friends from mobile phones. This is how everyone reacts during emergency worldwide. Thanks to the proliferation of mobile phone. Mobile networks of New York, however, failed soon after getting overloaded with so many simultaneous calls. It naturally made the New Yorkers more nervous.
Scientific American explores why mobile phone users are often unable to connect during emergencies, as well as options for improving cell network performance when it matters most. Read it here. Meanwhile, the New Yorkers received quake warning through tweeter messages before the ground shook. One New Yorker said, “I saw the tweets from DC about earthquake, then 15 seconds later felt it in NYC. Social media is faster than seismic waves!” That’s thought provoking.
1 Comment
Cliche shooter
People communicate faster than seismic waves. Social media is an enabling democratic public forum for this. To attribute autonomy to social media only fudges the issue.