Frostie the Dancing Cockatoo is on the Susan Powell case.

The 20-year-old white cockatoo is the star of what his owner says is YouTube's 10th most popular pet video ever. The owner, Karla Larsson, recently edited the video, in which Frostie dances to a song by Ray Charles, to include a graphic promoting the $10,000 reward for finding the missing West Valley City woman.

"I just thought he would be able to spread the word," Larsson said.

Larsson and Frostie, whose video has been viewed 1.55 million times since it was posted in February, illustrate how the search for Powell has been a virtual, social-networking experience.

No one is climbing over redrocks, up mountains or through sagebrush, or knocking on doors, like in so many other Utah searches. Instead, the searchers are creating videos, posting messages on Facebook and sending blurbs on Twitter.

"One of the parts I have been amazed with is the social media aspect," said Damon Talbot, the acting president and director of operations of the Destiny Search Project. "I've never seen it in any search before."

Talbot, too, is evidence of how the Powell search has taken a telecommuting-like quality. Although his organization was founded in Utah and named for the abducted and murdered 5-year-old Destiny Norton, he recently moved to Muskegon, Mich., because his father developed health problems.

So Talbot has been working from the shores of Lake Michigan updating a Facebook page called "Friends and Family of Susan Powell." As of Friday afternoon, it had 9,474 members.

By comparison, a Facebook page dedicated to Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan had 1,335 fans. A page dedicated to LDS President Thomas S. Monson had 1,271 members.

Timing is influencing Powell's attention online. There was no Facebook or Twitter during the Elizabeth Smart or Lori Hacking searches, and the Powell search has lasted longer than the one for Destiny.

And while social media hasn't yet led police to Powell, Talbot believes it is producing results. It has helped spread the word about Powell and been a resource from which people can download fliers to distribute, Talbot said. He believes social media also helped increase the turnout at vigils for Powell.

Plus, if police and the Destiny Search Project get clues of where in Utah to look for Powell, social media has helped organize volunteers, Talbot said.

"We already know we have a couple hundred people ready to go," Talbot said.

There has been some disagreements about what should be said about Powell. On the Facebook page administered by Talbot and Larsson, members are not allowed to post "speculative, accusatory or hurtful" statements, according to the page's description.

Talbot said those prohibitions also have been applied to some discussions of evidence or facts not yet confirmed by police. The page administrators deleted links to news stories about the fans blowing on wet spots in the Powell house.

Talbot said administrators stopped deleting those posts when police discussed the wet spots publicly. Larsson said a few posts with possible tips have been forwarded to West Valley City police.

"That page is primarily for the family to have a lot more hope and good thoughts," Talbot said.

Leslie Bleak, of St. George, did not like those terms. So Bleak started her own Facebook page dedicated to Powell with no restrictions on speech.

That page had 871 members as of Friday afternoon and much more discussion of Powell's husband, Joshua Powell, the only person of interest identified by police in the woman's disappearance.

"I just thought that was kind of weird that people didn't have freedom of speech and couldn't say what's on their mind," Bleak said.

The alternative Facebook page hasn't sat well with everybody. Bleak said she has received about 20 messages, some from people identifying themselves as Powell friends and family, who have written to complain and ask her to change the terms of posting on the page. Bleak has refused.

Bleak, Larsson and Talbot do not know the Powells, nor have any other connection to them. And that has been another thing that has impressed Talbot about the people following the Powell case online.

"One of the things that's been really unique is I see posts from people in Mississippi, New York," Talbot said. "The other day during the vigil, we had a guy in Ireland who got up early in the morning so he could take part in the vigil at the right time."

Larsson lives in Magalia, Calif., and says she is on her computer "from dawn until dusk." She learned about the Powell case from a Google News alert and decided she would help administer the larger Facebook page and organize YouTube videos, like the one of Frostie, to give the Powell family time to tend to other business.

"I'm just trying to do whatever I can to get this story out there," Larsson said.

ncarlisle@sltrib.com