The flow of false information circulating on X (formerly Twitter) is not a new phenomenon. However, in the current meteorological context where hurricanes Helen and Milton have hit the United States one after the other, the amount of misleading content and the speed with which it is shared is unheard of, reports Marianna Spring, BBC journalist.
These publications range from trivial questions such as the reliability of forecasts or rescue operations, to false assertions (repeated in particular by Donald Trump, of course) according to which aid funds for victims of these disasters will be devoted to migrants who entered the country illegally. country.
False, more graphic content is also circulating, generated by artificial intelligence or using software. Not to mention users sharing conspiracy theories like geoengineering, where the government is manipulating and altering the weather.
Some conspiracists and followers of unfounded theories are so locked in their beliefs that they become violent, as James Spann, a meteorologist in Alabama, explains, in a Rolling Stone article: “I’ve been doing this job for forty-six years and it’s never been like this. I was inundated with worrying messages telling me to stop lying, and that the government controlled the weather.”
Misinformation that continues to increase
This immense misinformation has consequences, because it can quickly ruin trust in authorities. The efforts made by governments and professionals are discredited. Meteorologist Matthew Cappucci acknowledges that “people are so disconnected from reality (that) they lose all faith in humanity”. It indicates that “overnight, ideas that were once ridiculous suddenly become popular» and that makes his job «much more difficult”.
If disinformation has always existed, its diffusion continues to increase, in particular because of the new changes on X. For example, content published by profiles with a blue dot is more highlighted. Previously, this was awarded after a verification, whereas now you just have to pay. Although there are rules to warn when content uses artificial intelligence, X’s new boss, Elon Musk, removed an old function that allowed users to report misleading content.
Furthermore, misleading content is taking a political turn due to the American presidential election which is fast approaching. The independent laboratory Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) reported that the most viral misinformation comes from accounts that support Donald Trump.
For Wild Mother, an influencer who regularly shares alternative theories on social media, this increase in misinformation works in her favor: “I am surprised to see that almost all the comments under my content agree with what I say”referring to one of his publications on the theory of geoengineering and recent hurricanes.
As Wild Mother and her cohorts see the sign of a “awakening awareness to reality”it is clear that we are facing an expansion of the public followers of these conspiracy theories. However, the more people there are who believe in fake news, the more difficult it is to combat disinformation.
Source: www.slate.fr
