Paper Number
ECIS2026-1701
Paper Type
CRP
Abstract
The study employs longitudinal social network analysis (SNA) on a Bluesky dataset to examine how network properties such as clustering coefficient, modularity, centrality and density transform across US 2025 Palisades Fire (beginning, midpoint, and end phases). By tracking these metrics, the investigation demonstrates that structural properties serve as measurable proxies for latent sociological processes which dictate the trajectory of disaster communication. Specifically, the research elucidates how critical transitions in the network topology reflect the co-evolution of information diffusion, institutional anchoring, and trust formation. The findings reveal that resilient disaster networks gravitate towards moderate modularity and clustering, balancing the demands of centralised coordination with the need for localised psychological support. Beyond this case study, the research offers a replicable methodological blueprint for analysing adaptive social systems under stress. Additionally, it contributes to a unified theoretical framework for optimising decentralised communication architectures and strengthening institutional strategies for accurate and trustworthy crisis response.
Recommended Citation
Vakirayi, Tafara and Tanner, Maureen, "Social Media and Disaster Communication: Analysing The Evolution of Network Structural Properties During The 2025 US Palisades Fire" (2026). ECIS 2026 Proceedings. 6.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2026/conf_theme/conf_theme/6
Social Media and Disaster Communication: Analysing The Evolution of Network Structural Properties During The 2025 US Palisades Fire
The study employs longitudinal social network analysis (SNA) on a Bluesky dataset to examine how network properties such as clustering coefficient, modularity, centrality and density transform across US 2025 Palisades Fire (beginning, midpoint, and end phases). By tracking these metrics, the investigation demonstrates that structural properties serve as measurable proxies for latent sociological processes which dictate the trajectory of disaster communication. Specifically, the research elucidates how critical transitions in the network topology reflect the co-evolution of information diffusion, institutional anchoring, and trust formation. The findings reveal that resilient disaster networks gravitate towards moderate modularity and clustering, balancing the demands of centralised coordination with the need for localised psychological support. Beyond this case study, the research offers a replicable methodological blueprint for analysing adaptive social systems under stress. Additionally, it contributes to a unified theoretical framework for optimising decentralised communication architectures and strengthening institutional strategies for accurate and trustworthy crisis response.
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