Publication Date:
2022-08-16
Description:
Italy is the land of iconic volcanoes, whose activity has been witnessed, described and
portrayed for centuries. This legacy has greatly contributed to shaping the public
perception of volcanoes and their impact, well beyond the national borders. Stories
about famous eruptions overlap and nowadays easily mix up with the impressive
footage that is readily available from ongoing eruptions worldwide. As a result, the
public discourse may flatten the wide spectrum of possible phenomena into an
oversimplified sketch of volcanic eruptions and their impact, where all events seem
equally probable and look alike. Actual volcanoes differ in size, eruption magnitude,
state of activity, eruptive style, geographical position, and each is located within a
specific social and cultural context. All these elements combine in defining the
consequences of volcanic activity as well as in determining the severity of the damage
and the size of the impacted area. How can we convey such a complexity to the general
public? Can social media contribute to raise awareness and build a more resilient society?
An effective hazard communication should propose a comprehensible yet realistic
description of volcanic settings and provide adequate tools to recognize and
understand the specific features of each phenomenon and volcanic area. As we write,
two Italian volcanoes display persistent eruptive activity, while other two are going through
unrest phases that started in 2012, at Campi Flegrei, and in late summer of 2021, at
Vulcano Island. Other active volcanoes (Vesuvius, Ischia, Colli Albani, Lipari, and
Pantelleria) have been dormant for tens, hundreds, or thousands of years.
Communication in these different contexts also require different approaches that take
into account the specific needs of local communities. Social media may provide a unique
opportunity to quickly share relevant news and information. Yet, this type of
communication has its challenges and volcano observatories can rarely rely on expert
social media managers. Sharing experiences and lessons learned is a key to ensure the
growth of the volcanological community and improve its ability to connect and engage local
residents. Here we discuss the online communication strategies implemented by the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) since 2018 to inform Internet and
social media users about volcanoes, volcanology, and ongoing volcanic activity, both in
Italy and abroad. We describe the internal procedures that we developed and practiced
and the experience gathered so far, during both quiet periods and a few volcanic crises.
Our experience confirms previous indications about the importance of a steady online
presence and suggests that public interest is not always easily predictable.
Description:
Published
Description:
926155
Description:
2TM. Divulgazione Scientifica
Description:
3TM. Comunicazione
Description:
JCR Journal
Repository Name:
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)
Type:
article