Pet peeve: five insensitive social media posts during disasters

Is resilience and the desire for fun an excuse for posting unrelated and insensitive social media posts during disasters? Do some social media updates about typhoons and other calamities lack sensitivity toward affected Filipinos?

Disasters, such as typhoons, can bring out the best in humanity, but they also reveal thoughtlessness in how some people express themselves online. While social media can be a powerful tool for sharing vital information and offering support, certain posts can come across as offensive and insensitive social media posts, especially during challenging times.

Posting about insurance could be insensitive social media posts

One common post reads, "If Only You Had Gotten Insurance…" Is this truly a genuine concern?

While promoting preparedness is important, discussing insurance during a disaster can feel tone-deaf. Such comments may seem like an attempt to capitalize on tragedy rather than express genuine concern. Many individuals might not have the means to afford insurance, making these posts feel particularly insensitive and leaving them feeling even more helpless in the face of adversity.

Promoting engineering services

Another exploitative post might say, "If We Had Built Your House…" often accompanied by photos grabbed from popular news outlets to further guilt victims into seeking engineering services.

When companies and individuals use disasters to market their services, it can come off as exploitative. Highlighting engineering capabilities amid a calamity suggests that victims' suffering could have been avoided if they had chosen a particular service. This type of messaging can be especially hurtful when families are still grappling with the immediate aftermath and have lost their homes.

Praising the resiliency of Filipinos during typhoons

While celebrating the resilience of Filipinos is common, repeatedly emphasizing it can minimize the seriousness of the disaster and overlook the need for systemic changes. Focusing on resilience may imply that enduring hardships is normal or expected, rather than highlighting the importance of improving disaster response and preparedness.

Posting about how "blessed" they are despite the disasters

Expressing gratitude for personal safety is good, but comparing one’s blessings to others' misfortunes can be insensitive. Statements about being spared from disaster can unintentionally come across as dismissive to those who weren't as fortunate. This mirrors a scene from the Korean drama Parasite, where the wealthy remain unscathed while the poor suffer immense losses during a flood, reinforcing feelings of inequality and alienation.

Sharing memes or unrelated content that diminishes the severity of the disaster

Posting memes or unrelated content during a calamity can downplay the seriousness of the situation. While humor can be a coping mechanism for many, timing is crucial. Sharing memes or using social media hashtags related to disasters can undermine the severity of the situation and overwhelm the efforts of government and NGOs in rescue and relief operations.

Disasters evoke a wide range of emotions, and while social media serves as a platform for self-expression, it’s vital to be mindful of the impact our words can have on others. Thoughtful sharing can foster empathy and solidarity during challenging times, helping to counteract the prevalence of insensitive social media posts during disasters.