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Aylan Kurdi images were seen by '20 million people in 12 hours' Aylan Kurdi images were seen by '20 million people in 12 hours'
(1 day later)
At the peak of the uproar over the death of Aylan Kurdi this summer, images of the drowned Syrian three-year-old were being tweeted 15 times a second, according to a new study.At the peak of the uproar over the death of Aylan Kurdi this summer, images of the drowned Syrian three-year-old were being tweeted 15 times a second, according to a new study.
Aylan’s death defined the conversation about the refugee crisis in the second half of 2015, sparking a campaign by the Independent that saw David Cameron agree to take in 20,000 Syrians over the course of this parliament.Aylan’s death defined the conversation about the refugee crisis in the second half of 2015, sparking a campaign by the Independent that saw David Cameron agree to take in 20,000 Syrians over the course of this parliament.
The photographs, showing the young child face down in the sand after his family’s disastrous attempt to reach Greece from Turkey, were seen by up to 20 million people in just 12 hours after they were first published.The photographs, showing the young child face down in the sand after his family’s disastrous attempt to reach Greece from Turkey, were seen by up to 20 million people in just 12 hours after they were first published.
According to research by Sheffield University, a handful of posts by Turkish media showing the image on social media erupted to a peak of 53,000 tweets per hour.According to research by Sheffield University, a handful of posts by Turkish media showing the image on social media erupted to a peak of 53,000 tweets per hour.
Farida Vis, director of the university’s Visual Social Media Lab, said the emotional response to Aylan’s death was “something extraordinary”.Farida Vis, director of the university’s Visual Social Media Lab, said the emotional response to Aylan’s death was “something extraordinary”.
“We wanted to measure the impact these images have had on the wider public debate about the status of migrants and refugees,” Dr Vis said. “Our analysis clearly shows that this story not only engaged a global audience, but that it changed the way social media users talked about the issue of immigration.”“We wanted to measure the impact these images have had on the wider public debate about the status of migrants and refugees,” Dr Vis said. “Our analysis clearly shows that this story not only engaged a global audience, but that it changed the way social media users talked about the issue of immigration.”
The study also showed that the image dramatically shifted the language used to describe the crisis.The study also showed that the image dramatically shifted the language used to describe the crisis.
Refugees flash the 'V for victory' sign during a demonstration as they block the Greek-Macedonian border
A general view of a shelter for migrants inside a hangar of the former Tempelhof airport in Berlin, Germany
Refugees protest behind a fence against restrictions limiting passage at the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Since last week, Macedonia has restricted passage to northern Europe to only Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans who are considered war refugees. All other nationalities are deemed economic migrants and told to turn back. Macedonia has finished building a fence on its frontier with Greece becoming the latest country in Europe to build a border barrier aimed at checking the flow of refugees
A refugee holds two children as dozens arrive on an overcrowded boat on the Greek island of Lesbos
A child, covered by emergency blankets, reacts as she arrives, with other refugees and migrants, on the Greek island of Lesbos, At least five migrants including three children, died after four boats sank between Turkey and Greece, as rescue workers searched the sea for dozens more, the Greek coastguard said
Migrants wait under outside the Moria registration camp on the Lesbos. Over 400,000 people have landed on Greek islands from neighbouring Turkey since the beginning of the year
Firemen carry the body of a child after refugees arrived on the Greek island of Lesbos. Greek leaders were among those at the meeting in Brussels
The bodies of Christian refugees are buried separately from Muslim refugees at the Agios Panteleimonas cemetery in Mytilene, Lesbos
Macedonian police officers control a crowd of refugees as they prepare to enter a camp after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija
Getty Images
A refugee tries to force the entry to a camp as Macedonian police officers control a crowd after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija
Getty Images
Refugees are seen aboard a Turkish fishing boat as they arrive on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing a part of the Aegean Sea from the Turkish coast to Lesbos
Reuters
An elderly woman sings a lullaby to baby on a beach after arriving with other refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey
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A man collapses as refugees make land from an overloaded rubber dinghy after crossing the Aegean see from Turkey, at the island of Lesbos
EPA
A girl reacts as refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey
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Refugees make a show of hands as they queue after crossing the Greek border into Macedonia near Gevgelija
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People help a wheelchair user board a train with others, heading towards Serbia, at the transit camp for refugees near the southern Macedonian town of Gevgelija
AP
Refugees board a train, after crossing the Greek-Macedonian border, near Gevgelija. Macedonia is a key transit country in the Balkans migration route into the EU, with thousands of asylum seekers - many of them from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia - entering the country every day
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An aerial picture shows the "New Jungle" refugee camp where some 3,500 people live while they attempt to enter Britain, near the port of Calais, northern France
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A Syrian girl reacts as she helped by a volunteer upon her arrival from Turkey on the Greek island of Lesbos, after having crossed the Aegean Sea
EPA
Refugees arrive by boat on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean sea from Turkey
Getty Images
For most of 2015, the number of mentions of “migrants” and “refugees” were roughly equal. Yet after 2 September, people became three times more likely to refer to “refugees”.For most of 2015, the number of mentions of “migrants” and “refugees” were roughly equal. Yet after 2 September, people became three times more likely to refer to “refugees”.
Dr Claire Wardle, research director at the Tow Centre for Digital Journalism at Columbia University and one of the report's authors, said: "2015 was the year the Syrian refugee crisis hit the European consciousness, but it's easy to forget that this was not the case before the Aylan Kurdi image.Dr Claire Wardle, research director at the Tow Centre for Digital Journalism at Columbia University and one of the report's authors, said: "2015 was the year the Syrian refugee crisis hit the European consciousness, but it's easy to forget that this was not the case before the Aylan Kurdi image.
"In April, over 700 refugees and migrants lost their lives when their boat capsized off Lampedusa. After one day of coverage, the story disappeared, despite the tragic loss of life."In April, over 700 refugees and migrants lost their lives when their boat capsized off Lampedusa. After one day of coverage, the story disappeared, despite the tragic loss of life.
"The photo of Aylan Kurdi galvanised the public in a way that hours of broadcasts and thousands of column inches wasn't able to do. It has created a frame through which subsequent coverage has been positioned and compared.""The photo of Aylan Kurdi galvanised the public in a way that hours of broadcasts and thousands of column inches wasn't able to do. It has created a frame through which subsequent coverage has been positioned and compared."