The Web Is Flat -- The World Responds to Haiti's Earthquake Online

*UPDATED*

We've said it before and we'll say it again: The Web is flat. And in a world made smaller by the Internet and new technologies, we become each others' witnesses -- one text, one tweet, one Facebook status update, one YouTube video, one Wikipedia view and edit at a time.

Thoughts and prayers are followed by money donated online and sent through text messages. Yesterday afternoon, four out of the top 10 trending topics on Twitter were related to Haiti's devastating earthquake, which is estimated to have killed more than 50,000 people and leaving thousands more homeless and injured. It's now up to five trending topics, including #YELE; #Help Haiti; and #Text.

On Facebook, a group called "Haitian Earthquake Relief" had 3,709 fans yesterday. It's now up to 13,000, and the group page lists the links of organizations that are helping out with the aftermath, from the American Red Cross to the Salvation Army. As we reported yesterday, there's also a group called "Haiti Needs Us, And We Need Haiti" that had 13,000. That figure has now doubled to 26,000. Within the first minute of the earthquake, some 106 people updated their Facebook status with something about "tierra" -- or earth, according to a Facebook spokesperson. Since then, more than 1,500 status updates per minute contain the word "Haiti."

Wikipedia, as always, has been a source for thousands of info-seekers. The Wikipedia article titled "2010 Haiti earthquake" was created at around 8:30 a.m. EST on Jan. 13, just a few seconds after the 7 magnitude quake struck near Port-au-Prince, the capital city. The article has been edited about 800 times in the past 24 hours, Lise Broer, a long-time Wikipedia editor whose username is Durova told HuffPostTech. It got 168,000 page views yesterday, Broer added. As of 6:30 p.m. EST, the 2,745-word article lists 106 sources -- from a news perspective, it's the most comprehensive article on the tragedy.

"Wikipedians do a really great job of synthesizing all the confusion and tracking down the information from hundreds of sources," Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales told us in a phone interview. "People all over the world have a desire to understand what's going on, and the interesting thing is, Wikipedia responds in a different way than, say, Twitter. Wikipedians are looking for sources, for validated information. They spend a lot of time in the discussion page of the article talking about whether that fact or this fact is correct. Who said it? Is it true?"

Wikipedia isn't capturing all the eyeballs, of course. There's a ticker on top of every page on YouTube that links to disaster relief via Oxfam. Within the past 24 hours, more than 4,150 Haiti-related videos have been uploaded on the video sharing site. Google, meanwhile, has created a disaster relief page, containing the most recent news about Haiti and information on its hospitals. You can easily donate to UNICEF and/or CARE, and SMS shortcodes are provided; in the U.S., text "HAITI" to 90999 to immediately donate $10 to the Red Cross and text "YELE" to 501501 to donate $5 to Yele Haiti's efforts. Here at HuffPost, our very own IMPACT vertical provides information on the ways we can all help out, including the latest news from non-profits on the ground in Haiti.

And kudos to the folks at TechPresident, which covers the intersection of politics and technology, for checking out if mobile donations to Haiti are being decreased by mobile fees. Katrin Verclas, a mobile expert at MobileActive, said that donations to the Red Cross are being processed without any carrier fees.

The federal government, too, has stepped up its online offerings, with DipNote, the State Department's official blog, taking the lead.

In times like these, technology makes the world feel smaller and more connected, with the Internet serving as the hub of activity.

Follow Jose on Twitter: www.twitter.com/joseiswriting

Follow HuffPostTech On Facebook And Twitter!

 

Comments

[MCMath]

10:21 PM on 01/17/2010

I have had my students following HuffPost for what is happening in Haiti. They made this song and video in response:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMbDYNDC3sA

[lockDown]

05:01 AM on 01/16/2010

Bless them, but I wish people in N. America would take a hard look at issues domestically and realize the Haitis here in inner cities that churn criminals due to lack of financial support in the educational system. Look at the economy here and associated devastation -- especially for homeowners and students unable to meet debts, and sinking into financial destruction. If those who have empathy and money for the issues of countries abroad would direct they're attention home temporarily, and give here as they do there, many issues in North America could be resolved.

If you have $25 for Haiti, maybe you have another $25 for N. America. That's only right.

[lastpost]

08:57 AM on 01/15/2010

“The Web Is Flat”

But an electrocardiogram of humanity’s heart show signs a strengthening pulse. And an indication, that each segmented synapse many be coalescing in a single cohesive consciousness.

“technology makes the world feel smaller”

Either that, or else each of us is becoming a little larger.

[AndSoItGoes]

09:21 PM on 01/14/2010

This is just a question so don't take offense as I just haven't seen anything on it. Has there been anything on the response from the Catholic Church in Rome with regard to the crisis in Haiti, as it is reported the population is approx. 80% Catholic?

[Bernique]

09:03 PM on 01/14/2010

Ten Things the US Can and Should Do for Haiti
by Bill Quigley

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/01/14-11

----------

Haitian Earthquake: Made in the USA
Why the Blood Is on Our Hands
by Ted Rall

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/01/14-13

[Marcospinelli]

06:49 PM on 01/14/2010

Naomi Klein Issues Haiti Disaster Capitalism Alert: Stop Them Before They Shock Again

Journalist and author Naomi Klein spoke in New York last night and addressed the crisis in Haiti: “We have to be absolutely clear that this tragedy—which is part natural, part unnatural—must, under no circumstances, be used to, one, further indebt Haiti and, two, to push through unpopular corporatist policies in the interest of our corporations. This is not conspiracy theory. They have done it again and again.”

http://www.democracynow.org/2010/1/14/naomi_klein_issues_haiti_disaster_capitalism

[Marcospinelli]

06:35 PM on 01/14/2010

If you want more 'meat' regarding US's involvement in rescue efforts in Haiti:

http://www.thecommentfactory.com/the-shock-doctrine-in-haiti-2608

[Sanjay Maharaj]

06:03 PM on 01/14/2010

It's great to see how we all use technology to leverage and mobilize together within a matter of minutes to not only spread the word around but collect funds to help thos in need in Haiti. Thanks to all who use the power of the internet to summon us all to a greater good cause towards our fellow human beings who are suffering
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jose-antonio-vargas/the-web-is-flat----the-wo_b_422394.html#

[ddoingit1]

05:52 PM on 01/14/2010

The internet HAITI forcast is all over every bloggers and face book, twitter and the media is hitting it hard for these children and the men and omen of the arm force are ready for the call to duty, I'm right near the navy bases in Norfolk Va. and the planes are lifting as i write good heaven, for the humanity effort is enormous for HAITI http://ddoingit1-iran.blogspot.com

[Gracie fr]

04:00 PM on 01/14/2010

It is so wonderful to see so many Americans responding to the Haitian tragedy with an outpouring of donations and care. The ravages of this island’s capital city are simply beyond description. From our television screens we look incredulously at the rubble, the streams of homeless people, small wide-eyed children ragged and wandering, the wounded, the dying and the dead. Hard to believe that all this chaos was the result of an act of nature, a forceful shift of the earth’s subsurface. But lest we forget in the midst of our own acts of generosity, our own government has created almost identical warscapes of death and destruction in faraway places like Bahgdad, Fallujah, Kabul and Khandahar. Sadly, as a nation, we have no memory of the realities of what war really looks like as a laying-to-waste phenomenon. The closest calls have been 9/11 and the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. This is a shame, for if we were able to recognize urbicide for what it is in Haiti, we might be less willing to carry it out ourselves with bobs falling from the sky.

[peaceplez]

05:24 PM on 01/14/2010

Thank you.

[patrickmcdougal]

07:06 PM on 01/15/2010

I have spent the last 3rd of my life organizing against war and man made atrocities. This is not the time to stand on soap boxes, this is not the time to turn those who disagree with your politics away from helping. The planet just demolished a city, I don't care if you are a war monger or pacifist , the people of this demolished city need all of our help. Leave your politics at the door.

[AJH]

03:49 PM on 01/14/2010

It's a great flattener but it is also a massive opportunity for fraud and scams so people make sure whoever you are giving to is legit, verify any phone solicitations etc...

Disasters bring out the best in most but some well...

So Huffpo time to go out and track down the frauds, unable to be verified as trustable, while pointing out the good ones.

[Froggie99]

02:58 PM on 01/14/2010

Hi GrahaminCanada. As an aside, the time President Obama made a trip to Canada early in January of last year, he and the very sweet and charismatic GG Michaele Jean struck up quite an acquaintance. It's a wonder the tabloids didn't make a lot of hay over their very long conversation at the Ottawa Airport.
Anyway - those two should team up to coordinate efforts to assist in Haiti, with the help of the very able Michelle Obama. Chances are they are already working together on this.

[jabailo]

01:27 PM on 01/14/2010

It was amazing to see the New York Times running Twitpic images on their front page.

[onwuakor]

09:57 AM on 01/14/2010

my prayer goes to the people of haiti
follow myeon twitter.com/randyonwuakor

[brushfinch]

06:39 AM on 01/14/2010

People are going to be flooded with requests for donations. I already have been..I encourage everyone to check the following website:www.charitynavigator.org, before they donate. Some charities spend a lot on fundraising and administration, while others do much better in using 80 to 90% of their funds for the actual work...

[dirigentin]

09:01 AM on 01/14/2010

United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR ) uses 100% because the operating costs of the agency are already covered by the United Methodist Church. Rated 4 stars by Charity Navigator:
http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/newsroom/releases/archives2010/prayeraidforhaiti/

[dirigentin]

09:03 AM on 01/14/2010

well at least 94%