Has Social Media Changed The Way We Weather Storms, Literally?

While the thick of hurricane Sandy's wrath may have passed NYC and is venturing onward, the aftermath left many completely awe-struck and stranded sans electricity with plenty of damage to tend to. And whether you watched the storm unravel from out your apartment window, on the local news, or online — there’s no denying that first-hand information and snaps rolling in from social-media properties were largely responsible and credited for keeping us clued in. Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook were rife with second-by-second updates on new developments, often times providing us with more 411 at a faster pace.

According to NYMag, it's events like these that are social-media turning points and really make us evaluate the wealth of breaking information that is being delivered across user-generated platforms, and that perhaps turning to social media takes precedence over other forms of traditional media.

While peeps will often argue that apps like Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter are isolating and in some cases make us feel lonelier — in Sandy’s case it actually worked in a unifying, all-encompassing way of virtually banding people together. As the storm touched down, folks shared personal pics and updates, offering their perceptions on the situation at a beyond-rapid pace (Instagram reports there were 10 posts per sec).

However, amid these personal blurbs, people presenting fake snaps, exaggerated tales, and stranger-than-fiction status updates did become an issue. So, weeding through the B.S. and deciphering what is what definitely becomes a challenge. What do you make of the social media coverage of Sandy? Did you find it useful, overwhelming, or annoying? Weigh in below!