• Home
  • About RSIS
    • Introduction
    • Building the Foundations
    • Welcome Message
    • Board of Governors
    • Staff Profiles
      • Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
      • Dean’s Office
      • Management
      • Distinguished Fellows
      • Faculty and Research
      • Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
      • Visiting Fellows
      • Adjunct Fellows
      • Administrative Staff
    • Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
    • RSIS Endowment Fund
    • Endowed Professorships
    • Career Opportunities
    • Getting to RSIS
  • Research
    • Research Centres
      • Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
      • Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
      • Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS)
      • Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
      • International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
    • Research Programmes
      • National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
      • Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
    • Future Issues and Technology Cluster
    • [email protected] Newsletter
    • Other Research
      • Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
    • Graduate Programmes Office
    • Overview
    • MSc (Asian Studies)
    • MSc (International Political Economy)
    • MSc (International Relations)
    • MSc (Strategic Studies)
    • NTU-Warwick Double Masters Programme
    • PhD Programme
    • Exchange Partners and Programmes
    • How to Apply
    • Financial Assistance
    • Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
    • RSIS Alumni
  • Alumni & Networks
    • Alumni
    • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
    • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
    • International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)
    • SRP Executive Programme
    • Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
  • Publications
    • RSIS Publications
      • Annual Reviews
      • Books
      • Bulletins and Newsletters
      • Commentaries
      • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
      • Commemorative / Event Reports
      • IDSS Paper
      • Interreligious Relations
      • Monographs
      • NTS Insight
      • Policy Reports
      • Working Papers
      • RSIS Publications for the Year
    • Glossary of Abbreviations
    • External Publications
      • Authored Books
      • Journal Articles
      • Edited Books
      • Chapters in Edited Books
      • Policy Reports
      • Working Papers
      • Op-Eds
      • External Publications for the Year
    • Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
  • Media
    • Great Powers
    • Sustainable Security
    • Other Resource Pages
    • Media Highlights
    • News Releases
    • Speeches
    • Vidcast Channel
    • Audio/Video Forums
  • Events
  • Giving
  • Contact Us
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
RSISVideoCast RSISVideoCast rsis.sg
Linkedin
instagram instagram rsis.sg
RSS
  • Home
  • About RSIS
      • Introduction
      • Building the Foundations
      • Welcome Message
      • Board of Governors
      • Staff Profiles
        • Executive Deputy Chairman’s Office
        • Dean’s Office
        • Management
        • Distinguished Fellows
        • Faculty and Research
        • Associate Research Fellows, Senior Analysts and Research Analysts
        • Visiting Fellows
        • Adjunct Fellows
        • Administrative Staff
      • Honours and Awards for RSIS Staff and Students
      • RSIS Endowment Fund
      • Endowed Professorships
      • Career Opportunities
      • Getting to RSIS
  • Research
      • Research Centres
        • Centre for Multilateralism Studies (CMS)
        • Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies (NTS Centre)
        • Centre of Excellence for National Security (CENS)
        • Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (IDSS)
        • International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR)
      • Research Programmes
        • National Security Studies Programme (NSSP)
        • Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme
      • Future Issues and Technology Cluster
      • [email protected] Newsletter
      • Other Research
        • Science and Technology Studies Programme (STSP) (2017-2020)
  • Graduate Education
      • Graduate Programmes Office
      • Overview
      • MSc (Asian Studies)
      • MSc (International Political Economy)
      • MSc (International Relations)
      • MSc (Strategic Studies)
      • NTU-Warwick Double Masters Programme
      • PhD Programme
      • Exchange Partners and Programmes
      • How to Apply
      • Financial Assistance
      • Meet the Admissions Team: Information Sessions and other events
      • RSIS Alumni
  • Alumni & Networks
      • Alumni
      • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior Military Officers (APPSMO)
      • Asia-Pacific Programme for Senior National Security Officers (APPSNO)
      • International Strategy Forum-Asia (ISF-Asia)
      • SRP Executive Programme
      • Terrorism Analyst Training Course (TATC)
  • Publications
      • RSIS Publications
        • Annual Reviews
        • Books
        • Bulletins and Newsletters
        • Commentaries
        • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
        • Commemorative / Event Reports
        • IDSS Paper
        • Interreligious Relations
        • Monographs
        • NTS Insight
        • Policy Reports
        • Working Papers
        • RSIS Publications for the Year
      • Glossary of Abbreviations
      • External Publications
        • Authored Books
        • Journal Articles
        • Edited Books
        • Chapters in Edited Books
        • Policy Reports
        • Working Papers
        • Op-Eds
        • External Publications for the Year
      • Policy-relevant Articles Given RSIS Award
  • Media
      • Great Powers
      • Sustainable Security
      • Other Resource Pages
      • Media Highlights
      • News Releases
      • Speeches
      • Vidcast Channel
      • Audio/Video Forums
  • Events
  • Giving
  • Contact Us
  • instagram instagram rsis.sg
Connect

Getting to RSIS

Map

Address

Nanyang Technological University
Block S4, Level B3,
50 Nanyang Avenue,
Singapore 639798

View location on Google maps Click here for directions to RSIS

Get in Touch

    Connect with Us

      rsis.ntu
      rsis_ntu
      rsisntu
    RSISVideoCast RSISVideoCast rsisvideocast
      school/rsis-ntu
    instagram instagram rsis.sg
      RSS
    Subscribe to RSIS Publications
    Subscribe to RSIS Events

    RSIS Intranet

    S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Think Tank and Graduate School Ponder The Improbable Since 1966
    Nanyang Technological University Nanyang Technological University

    Skip to content

     
    • RSIS
    • Publication
    • RSIS Publications
    • CO08130 | Mumbai Attacks: A New Wave of Citizen Journalism
    • Annual Reviews
    • Books
    • Bulletins and Newsletters
    • Commentaries
    • Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses
    • Commemorative / Event Reports
    • IDSS Paper
    • Interreligious Relations
    • Monographs
    • NTS Insight
    • Policy Reports
    • Working Papers
    • RSIS Publications for the Year

    CO08130 | Mumbai Attacks: A New Wave of Citizen Journalism
    Li Hongyan

    10 December 2008

    download pdf
    RSIS Commentary is a platform to provide timely and, where appropriate, policy-relevant commentary and analysis of topical and contemporary issues. The authors’ views are their own and do not represent the official position of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), NTU. These commentaries may be reproduced with prior permission from RSIS and due credit to the author(s) and RSIS. Please email to Editor RSIS Commentary at [email protected].

    Commentary

    The Mumbai attacks received much coverage in social media, and this represents a paradigm shift in the way citizen journalism and mainstream media interact with each other. The potential ramifications and issues warrant further examination to see how the two could be utilised together as viable news sources.

    THE RECENT attacks that unfolded in Mumbai over the course of three days saw a flurry of information being disseminated through mainstream media agencies, but even more so, over social networking sites like Twitter and Flickr. While mainstream media outlets floundered as they tried to grapple with the magnitude of the terrorist attacks across the city, users of social networking sites provided a steady stream of reports and images in real-time.

    These events represent a pivotal moment in media coverage, as it demonstrates the potential for citizen journalism as a news source, particularly in emergencies. No longer would journalists be the first to report – and only source – on a sudden event; information would come from regular citizens, both amateurs and professionals who are there in the immediate aftermath of an event. This paradigm shift in the way citizen journalism and mainstream media interact with each other would have long term implications for crisis reporting, as well as the media.

    Social networking sites as sources of real-time information

    As the first attacks took place in Mumbai, the first reports about the events ostensibly appeared on Twitter even before mainstream media agencies were able to release news stories. Twitter is a micro- blogging site that is designed for users to post personal updates no longer than 140 characters through text messages or over the Internet.

    By tagging posts related to the attacks with the hashtag #mumbai, users provided first-hand accounts by inundating the social networking service with a constant stream of reports and comments. The information came rapidly in its multitudes, and the availability of the information even gave rise to the rumour that Indian authorities were asking Twitter users to stop updating the site because of concerns that the terrorists were deriving strategic information from user updates.

    At the same time, people were loading images onto Flickr, a photo-sharing website. Even mainstream media outlets were utilising some images from the site for their reports. Photographer Vinukumar Ranganathan became an overnight sensation when his Flickr page attracted hundreds of thousands of hits for the pictures he uploaded of the immediate aftermath of the attacks.

    Bloggers were also participating actively in disseminating information. Blogs like “Mumbai Help” aggregated the information derived from Twitter and Flickr, and also listed the contact details of embassy and consulate hotlines created for the crisis. It also sought to help individuals get in contact with their friends and family in Mumbai. The blog provided a way for volunteers and interested parties to connect to one another, and was a site where the deluge of information could be consolidated, easily accessed and made comprehensible.

    Potential implications and issues

    The data uploaded by individuals about the Mumbai attacks played a vital role in propagating real- time information and marks a new epoch of citizen journalism and social media because of its centrality in providing reports of the developments on the ground. The few professional journalists present on site can hardly compete with the masses around the city who were updating Twitter using their mobile phones whenever new developments emerged. However, there are some inherent problems with the use of social networking sites for posting information.

    For instance, the amount of raw data generated by individual users of these social networking sites can appear to be overwhelming, particularly without any analysis. The ability of anyone to post reports and claims about any event also raises the issue of verifiability, since anyone can be a user on these social networking sites and claim to be posting an eyewitness account of events. Furthermore, there are concerns that with proximity comes the problem of not being able to perceive the overall picture. People report what they see, potentially without a complete understanding of the event, which could then lead to erroneous reportage.

    However, such criticisms are not only levelled at citizen journalists; mainstream media can also make mistakes in reporting events, particularly when there are multiple developments happening at the same time. It is only with hindsight and further analysis that brings to light the inaccuracies that arise during reporting.

    An added benefit of the relative transparency of social networking sites such as Twitter also means that if dubious information is uploaded, other users can question or challenge those claims almost instantaneously. However, the ease of uploading information also means that there is often too much ‘noise’ generated. There were hundreds of updates on Twitter every minute on the Mumbai attacks, and much of it was personal commentary, or re-linking to news stories from mainstream media.

    Importance of verifiability

    Issues of verifiability are problematic for both social and mainstream media, and there are advantages and drawbacks to different media sources. The best way forward would be to make use of the strongpoints of each to yield the most accurate and prompt information dissemination. There is a place in the future for both social media and mainstream media agencies, and the two need not be mutually exclusive.

    The multiplicity of individual views and reports generated by social media represent diverse opinions, some of which could be otherwise overlooked by mainstream media. The latter could then address the issues raised in social media, assimilate the information, and provide articles and editorials which provide a more holistic view of key events.

    There is still room for improvement for social networking sites to become useful as news sources. A real-time update service like Twitter could be modified for the specialised use for news reporting where information uploaded could be verified, or where users can rate one another for their trustworthiness or ability to provide useful information to other users. This system is not necessarily foolproof as it remains a subjective evaluation of individual users. The initial raw data would still ultimately have to be authenticated and corroborated with other sources, a process which could be conducted by the mainstream media.

    News agencies could utilise the information uploaded by users as leads which they could follow up on, and provide a more comprehensive analysis of seemingly disparate details from various sources. The Internet offers the ability to link up various sources of information easily. By synthesising these varied sources of information, mainstream media could indeed make the best use of real-time information provided by citizen journalists on which to build their analyses, instead of perceiving new media as adversaries.

    The way information is disseminated by news media has irrevocably altered, as exemplified by the Mumbai attacks, but that does not mean the inevitable demise of the traditional media. Both mainstream and social media will have to adapt to each other to come up with a workable model of interaction by which news can be reported in the future – especially in times of crisis.

    About the Author

    Li Hongyan is a Research Analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University. She graduated from the National University of Singapore and is currently with the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR). 

    Categories: Commentaries / / South Asia

    Last updated on 08/10/2014

    RSIS Commentary is a platform to provide timely and, where appropriate, policy-relevant commentary and analysis of topical and contemporary issues. The authors’ views are their own and do not represent the official position of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), NTU. These commentaries may be reproduced with prior permission from RSIS and due credit to the author(s) and RSIS. Please email to Editor RSIS Commentary at [email protected].

    Commentary

    The Mumbai attacks received much coverage in social media, and this represents a paradigm shift in the way citizen journalism and mainstream media interact with each other. The potential ramifications and issues warrant further examination to see how the two could be utilised together as viable news sources.

    THE RECENT attacks that unfolded in Mumbai over the course of three days saw a flurry of information being disseminated through mainstream media agencies, but even more so, over social networking sites like Twitter and Flickr. While mainstream media outlets floundered as they tried to grapple with the magnitude of the terrorist attacks across the city, users of social networking sites provided a steady stream of reports and images in real-time.

    These events represent a pivotal moment in media coverage, as it demonstrates the potential for citizen journalism as a news source, particularly in emergencies. No longer would journalists be the first to report – and only source – on a sudden event; information would come from regular citizens, both amateurs and professionals who are there in the immediate aftermath of an event. This paradigm shift in the way citizen journalism and mainstream media interact with each other would have long term implications for crisis reporting, as well as the media.

    Social networking sites as sources of real-time information

    As the first attacks took place in Mumbai, the first reports about the events ostensibly appeared on Twitter even before mainstream media agencies were able to release news stories. Twitter is a micro- blogging site that is designed for users to post personal updates no longer than 140 characters through text messages or over the Internet.

    By tagging posts related to the attacks with the hashtag #mumbai, users provided first-hand accounts by inundating the social networking service with a constant stream of reports and comments. The information came rapidly in its multitudes, and the availability of the information even gave rise to the rumour that Indian authorities were asking Twitter users to stop updating the site because of concerns that the terrorists were deriving strategic information from user updates.

    At the same time, people were loading images onto Flickr, a photo-sharing website. Even mainstream media outlets were utilising some images from the site for their reports. Photographer Vinukumar Ranganathan became an overnight sensation when his Flickr page attracted hundreds of thousands of hits for the pictures he uploaded of the immediate aftermath of the attacks.

    Bloggers were also participating actively in disseminating information. Blogs like “Mumbai Help” aggregated the information derived from Twitter and Flickr, and also listed the contact details of embassy and consulate hotlines created for the crisis. It also sought to help individuals get in contact with their friends and family in Mumbai. The blog provided a way for volunteers and interested parties to connect to one another, and was a site where the deluge of information could be consolidated, easily accessed and made comprehensible.

    Potential implications and issues

    The data uploaded by individuals about the Mumbai attacks played a vital role in propagating real- time information and marks a new epoch of citizen journalism and social media because of its centrality in providing reports of the developments on the ground. The few professional journalists present on site can hardly compete with the masses around the city who were updating Twitter using their mobile phones whenever new developments emerged. However, there are some inherent problems with the use of social networking sites for posting information.

    For instance, the amount of raw data generated by individual users of these social networking sites can appear to be overwhelming, particularly without any analysis. The ability of anyone to post reports and claims about any event also raises the issue of verifiability, since anyone can be a user on these social networking sites and claim to be posting an eyewitness account of events. Furthermore, there are concerns that with proximity comes the problem of not being able to perceive the overall picture. People report what they see, potentially without a complete understanding of the event, which could then lead to erroneous reportage.

    However, such criticisms are not only levelled at citizen journalists; mainstream media can also make mistakes in reporting events, particularly when there are multiple developments happening at the same time. It is only with hindsight and further analysis that brings to light the inaccuracies that arise during reporting.

    An added benefit of the relative transparency of social networking sites such as Twitter also means that if dubious information is uploaded, other users can question or challenge those claims almost instantaneously. However, the ease of uploading information also means that there is often too much ‘noise’ generated. There were hundreds of updates on Twitter every minute on the Mumbai attacks, and much of it was personal commentary, or re-linking to news stories from mainstream media.

    Importance of verifiability

    Issues of verifiability are problematic for both social and mainstream media, and there are advantages and drawbacks to different media sources. The best way forward would be to make use of the strongpoints of each to yield the most accurate and prompt information dissemination. There is a place in the future for both social media and mainstream media agencies, and the two need not be mutually exclusive.

    The multiplicity of individual views and reports generated by social media represent diverse opinions, some of which could be otherwise overlooked by mainstream media. The latter could then address the issues raised in social media, assimilate the information, and provide articles and editorials which provide a more holistic view of key events.

    There is still room for improvement for social networking sites to become useful as news sources. A real-time update service like Twitter could be modified for the specialised use for news reporting where information uploaded could be verified, or where users can rate one another for their trustworthiness or ability to provide useful information to other users. This system is not necessarily foolproof as it remains a subjective evaluation of individual users. The initial raw data would still ultimately have to be authenticated and corroborated with other sources, a process which could be conducted by the mainstream media.

    News agencies could utilise the information uploaded by users as leads which they could follow up on, and provide a more comprehensive analysis of seemingly disparate details from various sources. The Internet offers the ability to link up various sources of information easily. By synthesising these varied sources of information, mainstream media could indeed make the best use of real-time information provided by citizen journalists on which to build their analyses, instead of perceiving new media as adversaries.

    The way information is disseminated by news media has irrevocably altered, as exemplified by the Mumbai attacks, but that does not mean the inevitable demise of the traditional media. Both mainstream and social media will have to adapt to each other to come up with a workable model of interaction by which news can be reported in the future – especially in times of crisis.

    About the Author

    Li Hongyan is a Research Analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University. She graduated from the National University of Singapore and is currently with the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR). 

    Categories: Commentaries

    Last updated on 08/10/2014

    Back to top

    Terms of Use | Privacy Statement
    Copyright © S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. All rights reserved.
    This site uses cookies to offer you a better browsing experience. By continuing, you are agreeing to the use of cookies on your device as described in our privacy policy. Learn more
    OK
    Latest Book
    CO08130 | Mumbai Attacks: A New Wave of Citizen Journalism

    Commentary

    The Mumbai attacks ...
    more info