From Hashtags to Humanitarianism: Civic Engagement and Digital Mutual Aid During Natural Disasters
Abstract
As climate change intensifies the frequency and severity of natural disasters, social media platforms are emerging as critical infrastructures for citizen-led humanitarian action. This study examines how digital mutual aid unfolded during Hurricane Helene in 2024, the deadliest U.S. hurricane since Katrina. Drawing on a mixed-method case study, including content analysis of social media, examination of crowdsourced Google Sheets, and secondary media sources, this paper analyzes how civic engagement transitioned from emotional expression to coordinated relief. The study illustrates how social media enabled real-time, decentralised crisis response through the evolution of hashtags, grassroots digital tools, and the amplification of marginalized voices. Theoretically grounded in Uses and Gratifications Theory, participatory culture, and platform logic, the analysis shows that social media platforms are not merely communication channels but distributed infrastructures that challenge top-down governance. The paper concludes with a call for hybrid models integrating grassroots energy into formal disaster planning, urging platforms and governments to ethically steward visibility, accountability, and civic voice during emergencies.
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