Could SMS Gupshup become Life Lines in India

Asks the Georgetown Univesity’s Global Communication Class’s group blog.

The Indian Red Cross Society could have made a call for blood donors via Twitter and GupShup seconds after the Mumbai attacks.  Including a link in the message could have led donors to locations in Mumbai where donations were needed.

Further, these “Red Cross authenticated” messages could have helped potential blood donors avoid confusion given the multitude of blood donation-related tweets that emerged after the attacks.

Mumbai taught us that, during times of strife, people across India are willing to help and have stories to tell.  It’s up to humanitarian organizations such as the Red Cross to empower these citizens with the right tools to reach out and share these experiences.