The Role of Facebook in Crisis Information Dissemination: A Case Study of Dara-e-Noor District during the 2025 Eastern Afghanistan Earthquake
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Abstract
This study explores the role of Facebook in crisis communication after the devastating August 31, 2025 earthquake in Eastern Afghanistan. Social media platforms are often used in natural disasters, but there is a significant academic gap regarding their systematic impact on local crisis management in the region. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Facebook in information production and Quality, information dissemination and awareness, emergency needs reporting and Communicative coordination. A quantitative survey design was employed, utilizing a non-probability sampling strategy (purposive and snowball techniques) to select 231 eyewitnesses and active Facebook users, with the sample size determined by Cochran’s formula for unknown populations, using a structured online questionnaire. The data were subjected to statistical analysis using Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression. The results indicate that the Facebook information dissemination model can explain 65.9% of the variance of overall crisis communication effectiveness. Reporting emergency needs and organizing communicative coordination were particularly strong predictors of success, significantly accelerating the delivery of aid and alleviating public anxiety. Ultimately, this study explores the potential of Facebook as a strategic communication bridge in remote areas, effectively filling official information vacuums, and promoting digital volunteerism. These findings provide a practical framework for national disaster management authorities and policymakers to best optimize future humanitarian crisis interventions.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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