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Title The User Created Fire – Risks and Opportunities with Crisis Communication in Social Network Sites Author Charbel Sader Course Master Thesis in Media‐ and Communication Studies, Department of Journalism and Communication, University of Gothenburg Semester Spring semester of 2013 Tutor Nicklas Håkansson Number of pages 75 Purpose To find a deeper understanding of the digital media’s role in Swedish society in relation to crisis communication. Method Qualitative approach using focus group interviews Material Semi structured focus group interviews with a total of 18 participants in five groups. The focus group sessions were made during February, March and April 2012. Main results The main findings in this study are that users expect the communication flow in social network sites (SNS) during a crisis is to be a shortcut to information without a detour through organizations or traditional media. Although we find personal gratification, like interpersonal communication, quick information and sharing feelings and experience with others by using SNS during a crisis, users also tend to be hesitant about the credibility of the shared information. Alongside the user created content, we look to professional media experts and organizations as a guarantee for the veracity of the shared information. Users are at the same time increasingly disappointed when mainstream media in several cases has used social network sites as the main source for their news about various crisis situations conveying false images and rumors rather than facts.