Geointelligence Network

Social networks play an increasing role in all human activities. Hence they do have an impact in natural resources cases.

• The "traditional" involvement of civilian society in natural resource cases
• The power of social networks in crisis situations
• The possiblilities of social networks outside of crisis periods

Traditional involvement of civilian society

Social networks involving private citizen did exist before Information Technologies :

• People would gather to petition for or against large investments
• People would decide boycots to sanction bad industrial practices (exemples with Exxon, Shell and BP in the past)
• Civilian society groups would organize to obtain to be recognized as stakeholders (good exemple with the World Bank sponsored Chad Cameroon Pipeline Project)

The Power of Social Networks in Crisis Situation

During crisis connected to natural resources, social networks have various roles :

• They help to gather information on the situation
• They help to create awareness on the situation (locally and internationally)
• They contribute to crisis management or rescue operations

Good exemples can be found in recent events like the BP Gulf of Mexico Case or the South Sudan Partition Case

They involve :

• Information production (exemples with Google Map Maker, Open Street Maps on the South Sudan border and disputed oil fields)
• Satellite Imagery interpretation
• Gathering of testimonies (exemples with Ushahidi)

The Power of Social Network outside of Crisis Periods

Outside of crisis, social networks may have a deep and long term inpact on :

• Communities involvement and identification of key individuals
• Evolution of communities and peers perception on projects and issues
• Creation of common knowledge and understanding on issues
• Launch of collective actions for / against transformative change