Facebook Groups as Coordination Layers
Integrating social networks into crisis response workflows.
When disaster strikes, people don't open specialized crisis apps - they open Facebook. Recognizing this, OiQ builds coordination layers that work with existing social networks rather than trying to replace them.
Our approach: Facebook Groups as primary community hubs, with lightweight integrations that add structure without requiring anyone to learn new tools. Post formats that map to NUMO states. Comment threads that function as response chains. Reactions that trigger backend workflows.
The technical integration uses Facebook's Graph API to monitor group activity, identify posts that match crisis patterns, and inject helpful structure. A post saying 'My neighbor needs help with evacuation' gets automatically tagged with location, need type, and urgency level - all visible as regular Facebook content.
Responders work from a dashboard that aggregates across multiple groups, but every action they take appears as normal Facebook activity. Reply to coordinate volunteers? That's a Facebook comment. Mark a need as fulfilled? That's a reaction. The abstraction is invisible to regular group members.
Why not build custom apps? Because adoption is the hardest problem in crisis tech. People are stressed, overwhelmed, and operating with degraded connectivity. Asking them to download and learn something new is asking too much. Meeting them on Facebook means zero friction.
Privacy is a concern, and we take it seriously. Our integrations only access public group posts and only with group admin consent. Personal data never touches our servers - we process in-place and store only anonymized aggregates.
Current pilots are running in several community mutual aid groups. Early results show faster response coordination and better follow-through on commitments. The goal is invisible infrastructure: technology that helps without anyone noticing it's there.