Information Seeking and Sharing as Gratifications Explaining Mobile Social Media Use in Pre-, During and Post-Disaster Management

This paper suggests a model and empirical study to explore the acceptance of mobile social media and other applications for disaster risk mitigation in sub-Saharan Africa, using gratification and technology acceptance theories. It identifies information seeking and sharing as gratifications leading to increased intention and actual usage of mobile platforms for disaster management. Overall, our model suggests that social media and app usage positively impact disaster mitigation, preparedness, awareness, response, coping, and adaptation. Emphasizing gratification theory, particularly in marginalized African communities, and confirming the relevance of technology acceptance theories, our study promises to contribute to IT-enabled disaster management literature. Data will be collected through a survey from different regions across Sub-Saharan Africa, with subsequent analysis using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).