The role of social media in health management of mass gathering events including opportunities risks and strategic implications

In today’s interconnected world, social media has become essential in managing mass gathering events. This review aims to critically examine how social media functions as both a strategic asset and a potential risk in the management of mass gathering events, by identifying its key benefits, as well as the emerging digital threats that challenge safe and effective event governance. This systematic review, registered in PROSPERO (CRD42025641093), followed PRISMA guidelines. Studies were sourced from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar up to January 2025. Article quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). From 6,352 records, 10 high‑quality studies (MMAT 80–100%) were included. Three themes emerged: benefits, challenges, and strategic recommendations. Benefits included real‑time monitoring/safety (crowd detection, sentiment analysis, early outbreak warning) and enhanced communication/engagement (top‑down/bottom‑up flow, value co‑creation). Challenges comprised data accuracy issues (geotagging, NLP limits, false positives), security/ethical concerns (misinformation, incitement, privacy), and social/behavioral risks (distraction, reduced face‑to‑face interaction, value co‑destruction). Recommendations focused on integrated systems (real‑time protocols, analytics, co‑creation, early warning), mitigation measures (verification, privacy governance, advanced NLP, mindful engagement), and policy priorities (guidelines, simulation training, cross‑sector collaboration). Effective use of social media in mass gathering events requires structured strategies and adaptive governance to maximize benefits and mitigate risks. Integrating social media into operational and strategic planning enhances safety, engagement, and mass gathering event management, while ongoing research is needed to address evolving platforms, user behaviors, and context-specific strategies.