Red Cross Apologizes for Tweeting False Typhoon Haiyan Image

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On Monday, November 11th, Red Cross posted an inaccurate graphic image comparing the size of Typhoon Haiyan to the continental U.S. The tweet read, "A storm the size of Typhoon Haiyan would cover nearly the entire continental U.S." The tweet went viral, with users retweeting the shocking image more than 700 times and appearing in blogs before the Red Cross issued a correction and apology hours later. Before the apology, Nate Cohn from The New Republic noticed the incorrect image that the Red Cross posted and tweeted "The map of Haiyan over the United States is a hoax and inaccurate". This prompted the Red Cross to looking into the inaccurate image and eventually issuing the correction and apology.

Although the Red Cross put out an immediate apology, it was an avoidable mistake that should have been caught before it went public. It is especially important for non-profit organizations such as Red Cross that seek donations to gain credibility and trust from the public. When people look to donate their money for a cause, it is important that they feel confident in the organization's ability to properly handle and allocate their funds. A loss of credibility over a false tweet can really affect people's decision to donate to the organization.