The Role of Social Media in Crisis Communication: The Case of the Government of Ethiopia during the Tigray War
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Date
2023-11
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The Tigray war in Ethiopia has highlighted the multifaceted role of social media in crisis communication. While the Ethiopian government has leveraged social media platforms to disseminate its narrative on the cause of the conflict, updates on military operations, counter opposition narratives, and refute international media coverage, concerns regarding the accuracy, reliability, and timeliness of government-shared information have been prevalent. This study employed a descriptive research methodology, incorporating mixed data collection techniques, to comprehensively address the research questions. The combination of surveys and key informant interviews provided both qualitative insights and quantitative support for the study's findings. The study assessed and validated the role social media play in government’s crisis communication underscoring despite the absence of a clear crisis communication strategy and active public engagement, the government's crisis communication appears to have garnered it the much-needed popular support, potentially influencing the war's trajectory. Furthermore, social media's role extended beyond mere communication, evolving into a tool for disseminating propaganda, suppressing dissent, harassing critics, and exacerbating ethnic tensions. Key Words: Crisis Communication, Social Media, Tigray Conflict, Government Communication.
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Crisis Communication, Tigray Conflict