Accidental Citizen Science
There is a lot of data available on social media, making it challenging to discern what is reliable and what is new. But researchers are adopting these online tools and using platforms like Flickr and Twitter to gather new collections of data for science. Content and in particular images that have been shared on social media can be used to monitor changes in natural environments, like the Great Barrier Reef.
Nic spoke to an expert on the topic, Susanne Becken, a Professor of Sustainable Tourism from Griffith University. She explained just how the casual selfie-taker might be contributing to the greater good of environmental science.
