Can online sleuths find MH370 where authorities have failed?

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Online Sleuths Offer Broad Participation in MH370 Search Amidst Skepticism

Over 2.3 million individuals have registered on Tomnod.com, a crowdsourcing platform operated by DigitalGlobe Inc, to assist in the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. These online participants are driven by a desire to help and an interest in solving the unprecedented mystery surrounding the flight's disappearance. Despite the significant engagement, the effectiveness of such crowdsourced efforts in comparison to official investigations remains a subject of debate, with past attempts yielding mixed or negative results.
Motivations for Online Participation

The engagement from individuals like Mandy Paine, an Australian accountant, and Anja Meloinen from Belgium, stems from a desire to contribute to a global effort during a disaster. Paine described spending 16 hours scrutinizing satellite images, finding the task "addictive" despite potential physical discomfort. Meloinen, who has previously contributed to mapping efforts for Typhoon Haiyan and searches for a lost plane and boat, sees it as a way to help from home when official channels are perceived as insufficient or unclear.
Past Crowdsourcing Efforts and Their Outcomes

The efficacy of crowdsourced investigations in locating missing entities is not consistently proven. For instance, previous efforts to find the aircraft of billionaire adventurer Steve Fosset using similar online methods did not yield positive results. Furthermore, the public's perception of crowdsourcing in investigative contexts was notably impacted by the "witch hunt" that ensued from online detectives attempting to identify perpetrators of the Boston marathon bombing.
Doubts Regarding the Quality of Online Searches

While the sheer volume of participants on platforms like Tomnod.com is substantial, questions persist about the quality and reliability of the information they generate. The vast and expanding search area for MH370, which initially spanned approximately 100 nautical miles and grew to over 400,000 square kilometres, potentially encompassing millions more, presents a significant challenge. This scale, coupled with the historical lack of success in similar crowdsourced searches, raises doubts about whether this approach can effectively supplement or surpass official investigative capabilities.
Distrust in Official Investigations

A segment of the online search community expresses distrust in the handling of the official investigation and the conflicting information released. This sentiment appears to fuel the determination of some participants, like Paine, who believe that ordinary individuals might have a better chance of finding traces of the plane if it is located in the ocean. This underlying skepticism towards official channels encourages continued participation in crowdsourced efforts, regardless of past precedents.

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Can online sleuths find MH370 where authorities have failed?

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