![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2017/04/20153219/3-chart-summary-1023.png)
Search activity
Local and national media coverage
Twitter conversation
Proportion of all Google searches that contain Flint water crisis-related terms for the News and Media category within the Flint area
Number of Flint water crisis-related stories identified in the local/regional and national news outlets studied
Total number of Twitter posts about the Flint water crisis across the U.S.
Jan 2016
State of emergency
declared
250 stories
Larger
proportion
of searches
450K posts
Sep/Oct 2015
Flint issues
lead warning.
Genesee
County issues
public health
emergency
400K
Local/
regional
media
200
Aug 2014
Boil water
advisory
issued
300K
Jan 2015
Flint issues an
advisory about
high levels of toxic
disinfection
byproduct
150
National
media
200K
100
100K
50
Smaller
proportion
of searches
0
0
2014
2015
2016
2014
2015
2016
2014
2015
2016
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2017/04/20153840/3-chart-summary-500.png)
Search activity
Proportion of all Google searches that contain Flint water crisis-related terms for the News and Media category within the Flint area
Larger
proportion
of searches
Sep/Oct 2015
Flint issues
lead warning.
Genesee
County issues
public health
emergency
Aug 2014
Boil water
advisory
issued
Smaller
proportion
of searches
2014
2015
2016
Local and national media coverage
Number of Flint water crisis-related stories identified in the local/regional and national news outlets studied
Jan 2016
State of emergency
declared
250 stories
Local/
regional
media
200
Jan 2015
Flint issues an
advisory about
high levels of toxic
disinfection
byproduct
150
National
media
100
50
0
2014
2015
2016
Twitter conversation
Total number of Twitter posts about the Flint water crisis across the U.S.
450K posts
400K
300K
200K
100K
0
2014
2015
2016
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2017/04/20153159/3-chart-summary-280.png)
Search activity
Proportion of all Google searches that contain Flint water crisis-related terms for the News and Media category within the Flint area
Sep/Oct 2015
Flint issues lead
warning. Genesee
County issues public
health emergency
Larger
proportion
of searches
Aug 2014
Boil water advisory
issued
Smaller
proportion
of searches
2014
2015
’16
Local and national media coverage
Number of Flint water crisis-related stories identified in the local/regional and national news outlets studied
Jan 2016
State of emergency
declared
250 stories
Local/
regional
media
200
Jan 2015
Flint issues an
advisory about
high levels of
toxic
disinfection
byproduct
150
National
media
100
50
0
2014
2015
’16
Twitter conversation
Total number of Twitter posts about the Flint water crisis across the U.S.
450K posts
400K
300K
200K
100K
0
2014
2015
’16
PEW RESEARCH CENTER