The Test of torrential rains—— Analysis of factors influencing the credibility of government microblogs in major natural disasters

Abstract

Social media has become an important platform for the government to release information, publicize policies, and communicate with the public due to its instantaneous, synchronized, interactive advantages. And it plays an irreplaceable role in the rescue and relief process of major natural disasters. It is because of the special attributes and unique effectiveness of government social media that it has also become a visible window to reflect and evaluate the credibility of the Government. This research focuses on the rare and extremely heavy rainstorm that oc-curred in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, China in July 2021, and uses it as a scenario. By collecting and analyzing the information release data and public interaction information of governments’ microblog accounts in Zhengzhou City, the research is carried out from three dimensions: government information supply, public information demand, and the deviations between the them. After that we will examine the credibility and effectiveness of government social media during the "720" Zhengzhou heavy rainstorm, and try to create a model of the factors which influence the credibility of government social media in major natural disasters, and then propose strategies to improve it