Helene/Milton response hampered by misinformation, conspiracy theories

[essentialsaltes]

One day after Helene slammed into Asheville, N.C., leading to seven trees falling on her house and destroying her roof, Nicole McNeill read an alarming article that warned a second storm was barreling toward the area.

But it was all a hoax. [gift link]

Officials have sought to tamp down the misinformation that has continued to spread online. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has been updating a webpage seeking to dispute common rumors, while the North Carolina Department of Public Safety has done the same, writing that authorities were “working around-the-clock to save lives and provide humanitarian relief.”

In western North Carolina this week, some residents shared false information that a dam was about to burst, prompting hundreds of people to unnecessarily evacuate and diverting the attention of first responders.

And in many parts of the Southeast, a debunked conspiracy theory has circulated about FEMA spending disaster relief money on helping migrants who are in the country illegally. Former president Donald Trump has amplified the false claim about migrants during campaign rallies and on his platform, Truth Social.

North Carolina state Sen. Kevin Corbin, a Republican, slammed the rampant misinformation Thursday in a Facebook post, tagging several GOP colleagues.

“Friends can I ask a small favor? Will you all help STOP this conspiracy theory junk that is floating all over Facebook and the internet about the floods in WNC,” he wrote, referring to western North Carolina.

One particularly troubling falsehood that went viral online was a claim that government officials planned to seize the flooded town of Chimney Rock, N.C., and bulldoze bodies under the rubble. One [X] user suggested “a militia to go against FEMA,” in a post that had received more than half a million views as of Saturday afternoon.

On Thursday, [an Asheville resident] drove his motorbike to where the road ended and then hiked nine miles into Chimney Rock, to check out the situation for himself. [He was assured by a police officer, a worker, a resident and the evidence of his senses that the rumors were untrue.]

 

[RileyG]

Hoping those affected can get the help they need. How devastating.

 

[NBB]

You think people would have learned by now to not believe everything on the internet.
The govts. should not police facebook etc posts either.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Republicans are fighting a war against misinformation to keep their constituents safe as they brace for Hurricane Milton to make landfall in Florida, including being willing to point the finger at members of their own party — and their presidential nominee.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) tried to debunk some of the misinformation that has proliferated on social media following the government’s responseto Hurricane Helene

“We have seen a level of support that is unmatched by most any other disaster nationwide; but amidst all of the support, we have also seen an uptick in untrustworthy sources trying to spark chaos by sharing hoaxes, conspiracy theories, and hearsay about hurricane response efforts across our mountains,” he added.

“Hurricane Helene was NOT geoengineered by the government to seize and access lithium deposits in Chimney Rock,” Edwards said.

“Applying for disaster assistance does not grant FEMA or the federal government authority or ownership of your property or land,” Edwards said.

 

[LayHong_Loves_Christ]

Milton will devastate part of the town being directly hit.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Meteorologists Get Death Threats as Hurricane Milton Conspiracy Theories Thrive​

It's their job to warn residents about destructive storms — but political polarization has made them targets online
As Hurricane Milton approaches Florida, meteorologists are staying awake for days at a time trying to get vital, life-saving information out to the folks who will be affected. That’s their job. But this year, several of them tell Rolling Stone, they’re increasingly having to take time out to quell the nonstop flow of misinformation during a particularly traumatic hurricane season. And some of them are doing it while being personally threatened.

Washington D.C.-based meteorologist Matthew Cappucci ... says that he’s noticed an enormous change on social media in the last three months: “Seemingly overnight, ideas that once would have been ridiculed as very fringe, outlandish viewpoints are suddenly becoming mainstream and it’s making my job much more difficult.”

This hurricane season, Cappucci and the other meteorologists I spoke with say, conspiracy theories have been flooding their inboxes. The main one that people have seemed to latch onto is the accusation that the government can control the weather.

“I put on armor every day to try to go online and make sure people aren’t saying things that could harm responses,” says [Meteorologist Katie] Nickolau.

“I’ve been doing this for 46 years and it’s never been like this,” says Alabama meteorologist James Spann. He says he’s been “inundated” with misinformation and threatening messages like “Stop lying about the government controlling the weather or else.”

“This is the post-truth era and these types of crazy beliefs aren’t just confined to your crazy Uncle Joe,” says [South Florida meteorologist John] Morales. “It seems to spread with greater ease and I am particularly alarmed that after Hurricane Helene it’s really spread and truly impacted the work of the emergency management agencies that are trying to help people recover and have to dedicate resources to dispel rumors and trample down on the type of stuff that sadly, even some politicians are spreading. It costs lives and dishonors first responders and civil servants.”

 

[wing2000]

...I find this behavior truly disgusting.

 

[LayHong_Loves_Christ]

every year has hurricane, it is normal

 

[essentialsaltes]

Violent threats against FEMA swirl on social media​

Social media misinformation has fed distrust in FEMA, which officials warn could hamper efforts to help people in the wake of Helene and Milton. “If it creates so much fear that my staff doesn’t want to go out in the field, then we’re not going to be in a position where we can help people,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said in a Tuesday call with reporters, as reported by Axios. “I worry that they won’t apply for assistance, which means I can’t get them the necessary items they need to support them.”

TikTok posts either calling for violence or applauding unverified claims about physical attacks against FEMA personnel have garnered millions of views, according to a report yesterday from nonprofit Media Matters for America. X has also been fertile ground for threats of violence against FEMA, says another analysis published yesterday by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD).

“This content is reaching millions of people and, in some instances, poses a credible risk to public safety,” ISD says.

Nearly a third of the posts analyzed also contained antisemitic hate, according to the ISD. Much of the content targets Jaclyn Rothenberg, director for public affairs at FEMA. Posts questioning her “loyalty to the country based on her Jewish heritage” received millions of views. And the same accounts spreading misinformation about Helene were also tied to content disparaging migrants and denying climate change, ISD says.

 

[FireDragon76]

Meteorologists Get Death Threats as Hurricane Milton Conspiracy Theories Thrive​

It's their job to warn residents about destructive storms — but political polarization has made them targets online
As Hurricane Milton approaches Florida, meteorologists are staying awake for days at a time trying to get vital, life-saving information out to the folks who will be affected. That’s their job. But this year, several of them tell Rolling Stone, they’re increasingly having to take time out to quell the nonstop flow of misinformation during a particularly traumatic hurricane season. And some of them are doing it while being personally threatened.

Washington D.C.-based meteorologist Matthew Cappucci ... says that he’s noticed an enormous change on social media in the last three months: “Seemingly overnight, ideas that once would have been ridiculed as very fringe, outlandish viewpoints are suddenly becoming mainstream and it’s making my job much more difficult.”

This hurricane season, Cappucci and the other meteorologists I spoke with say, conspiracy theories have been flooding their inboxes. The main one that people have seemed to latch onto is the accusation that the government can control the weather.

“I put on armor every day to try to go online and make sure people aren’t saying things that could harm responses,” says [Meteorologist Katie] Nickolau.

“I’ve been doing this for 46 years and it’s never been like this,” says Alabama meteorologist James Spann. He says he’s been “inundated” with misinformation and threatening messages like “Stop lying about the government controlling the weather or else.”

“This is the post-truth era and these types of crazy beliefs aren’t just confined to your crazy Uncle Joe,” says [South Florida meteorologist John] Morales. “It seems to spread with greater ease and I am particularly alarmed that after Hurricane Helene it’s really spread and truly impacted the work of the emergency management agencies that are trying to help people recover and have to dedicate resources to dispel rumors and trample down on the type of stuff that sadly, even some politicians are spreading. It costs lives and dishonors first responders and civil servants.”

Russia has been known to use bots and troll farms to promote conspiracy theories on the internet. I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't behind alot of the promotion of conspiracy theories, to create domestic chaos around an important election.

 

[stevil]

Russia has been known to use bots and troll farms to promote conspiracy theories on the internet. I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't behind alot of the promotion of conspiracy theories, to create domestic chaos around an important election.

Russians and some key Republicans e.g. D Trump and MTG their intent is the same, to sow distrust and animosity and chaos.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Arrest made amid security threats prompting FEMA contractors to ‘stand down’​

The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man and charged him with going armed to the terror of the public after security threats prompted a pause in some FEMA operations around western North Carolina.

William Jacob Parsons, 44, from Bostic was arrested after dispatchers were told a white male holding an assault rifle and making comments about harming FEMA employees.

--

NC Governor Roy Cooper:

“FEMA along with other state, federal and local response workers are working around the clock to bring assistance to western North Carolina. We are aware of significant misinformation online and reports of threats to response workers on the ground and the safety of responders must be taken seriously. The Governor has directed the Department of Public Safety to identify with local law enforcement the specific threats and rumors and coordinate with FEMA and other partners to ensure safety and security as this recovery effort continues.”

 

[RestoreTheJoy]

Meteorologists Get Death Threats as Hurricane Milton Conspiracy Theories Thrive​

It's their job to warn residents about destructive storms — but political polarization has made them targets online
As Hurricane Milton approaches Florida, meteorologists are staying awake for days at a time trying to get vital, life-saving information out to the folks who will be affected. That’s their job. But this year, several of them tell Rolling Stone, they’re increasingly having to take time out to quell the nonstop flow of misinformation during a particularly traumatic hurricane season. And some of them are doing it while being personally threatened.

Washington D.C.-based meteorologist Matthew Cappucci ... says that he’s noticed an enormous change on social media in the last three months: “Seemingly overnight, ideas that once would have been ridiculed as very fringe, outlandish viewpoints are suddenly becoming mainstream and it’s making my job much more difficult.”

This hurricane season, Cappucci and the other meteorologists I spoke with say, conspiracy theories have been flooding their inboxes. The main one that people have seemed to latch onto is the accusation that the government can control the weather.

“I put on armor every day to try to go online and make sure people aren’t saying things that could harm responses,” says [Meteorologist Katie] Nickolau.

“I’ve been doing this for 46 years and it’s never been like this,” says Alabama meteorologist James Spann. He says he’s been “inundated” with misinformation and threatening messages like “Stop lying about the government controlling the weather or else.”

“This is the post-truth era and these types of crazy beliefs aren’t just confined to your crazy Uncle Joe,” says [South Florida meteorologist John] Morales. “It seems to spread with greater ease and I am particularly alarmed that after Hurricane Helene it’s really spread and truly impacted the work of the emergency management agencies that are trying to help people recover and have to dedicate resources to dispel rumors and trample down on the type of stuff that sadly, even some politicians are spreading. It costs lives and dishonors first responders and civil servants.”

Not surprised the unhinged are out too among the vast majority of normal people just trying to get things done. After all, the current Republican candidate had a THIRD potential assassination attempt stopped this weekend at Coachella. The propagandists need to tone down the hate rhetoric.

Discuss your feelings all you want. But threats are a crime; arrest them all.

 

[essentialsaltes]

“I’ve been doing this for 46 years and it’s never been like this,” says Alabama meteorologist James Spann. He says he’s been “inundated” with misinformation and threatening messages like “Stop lying about the government controlling the weather or else.”

Meteorologist James Spann faces fury for debunking wild hurricane conspiracy theories​

Later in the week, Spann shared a link to a FEMA page that debunked rumors surrounding Hurricane Helene. However, instead of appreciation, Spann was met with a barrage of hostile comments. In a follow-up post, he wrote, “I pass along information from officials with zero comment. I have no interest in politics. But the threats I have received from posting this are not good. Some I turned in. Some of the most hateful messages I have received come from people with Bible verses all over their profile. It is clear that we live in a society full of hate, anger, rage, and the inability to think critically. It has been very tough today, and all I do is pass along information. If you hate me, that is fine, but you might want to pull down those verses and your church affiliation. It isn’t a good look. This post will be gone soon.”

In an interview with AL.com later that same day, Spann described the reaction to his post: “First message I received after the link to the FEMA site was ‘Go ███ yourself and retire.’ I knew then it wasn’t going to go well, and I finally deleted the post. In this business, you have to pick your battles, and this just wasn’t one I wanted to fight.”

 

[essentialsaltes]

Arrest made amid security threats prompting FEMA contractors to ‘stand down’​

Workers from the agency's disaster-assistance teams — who help survivors apply for FEMA aid and connect them with additional state and local resources — have stopped going door to door and instead are working from fixed locations while the potential threats are assessed, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

To understand why this is happening, one first has to ask themselves why are people have become so receptive to the misinformation?

And it has to be sincere effort to understand why...not some half-ass "Bad orange man brainwashed them" argument. I mean a real deep dive into the factors that caused people to be so receptive to the idea that not only are government agencies apathetic towards them, but actively actively seeking to make things worse for them.

It's something that does need to be evaluated...pinning the blame on specific politicians isn't going to help, nor is it an "answer". If Trump and MTG weren't here, they would've just rallied behind two other politicians who are just like Trump and MTG and ate up their propaganda instead.

The underlying question is: Why have some people become so disenfranchised with "the establishment", that they've come up with the conclusion that anti-establishment is a stand-alone "credential"?

Any theories?

 

[rambot]

To understand why this is happening, one first has to ask themselves why are people have become so receptive to the misinformation?

And it has to be sincere effort to understand why...not some half-ass "Bad orange man brainwashed them" argument. I mean a real deep dive into the factors that caused people to be so receptive to the idea that not only are government agencies apathetic towards them, but actively actively seeking to make things worse for them.

It's something that does need to be evaluated...pinning the blame on specific politicians isn't going to help, nor is it an "answer". If Trump and MTG weren't here, they would've just rallied behind two other politicians who are just like Trump and MTG and ate up their propaganda instead.

The underlying question is: Why have some people become so disenfranchised with "the establishment", that they've come up with the conclusion that anti-establishment is a stand-alone "credential"?

Any theories?

Hm. MY first thought is...let's start naming and shaming the people providing the misinformation and maybe throttle their platform.

Maybe recognize that before the internet the weirdoes would just scream and rant on their own little street corners all around the world. But that lack of connection kept us safe. Now they're connecting and getting louder and more dangerous thanks to the internet.

Dollars to donuts all of those 3 guys were on X...just by way of example. I'm going to guess they're were all on Truth Social but I have no proof of that.

NONE of them have an obvious left leaning bent so they aren't sitting their listening to democrats again and again.

 

[iluvatar5150]

To understand why this is happening, one first has to ask themselves why are people have become so receptive to the misinformation?

And it has to be sincere effort to understand why...not some half-ass "Bad orange man brainwashed them" argument. I mean a real deep dive into the factors that caused people to be so receptive to the idea that not only are government agencies apathetic towards them, but actively actively seeking to make things worse for them.

It's something that does need to be evaluated...pinning the blame on specific politicians isn't going to help, nor is it an "answer". If Trump and MTG weren't here, they would've just rallied behind two other politicians who are just like Trump and MTG and ate up their propaganda instead.

The underlying question is: Why have some people become so disenfranchised with "the establishment", that they've come up with the conclusion that anti-establishment is a stand-alone "credential"?

Any theories?

Those folks have always existed. They just didn’t have the technology (or at least the access to it) to create the feedback loops necessary to radicalize themselves or others.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Those folks have always existed. They just didn’t have the technology (or at least the access to it) to create the feedback loops necessary to radicalize themselves or others.

But then that just describes the mechanism for "reach" in terms of connecting with those types of folks, that's not what's initially radicalizing them, in that, from the scenario you're describing, if they existed and predated the latest tech advances, I'm asking what conditions were present that made them exist in their current form in the first place?


If the easy access to advanced tech is the disease (and not just a exacerbation of a symptom), then why have other conspiracy realms not been able to enjoy the "windfall of new converts" like the ones being discussed here?

For example: If it is the tech, why would that cause anti-government type conspiracies to spread like wildfire (to the point where over a quarter of the population believes an election was stolen), yet others like, say, "the moon landing was faked" and "flat-earther" have remained relatively stagnant in comparison?

On the flip side, two of the bigger "anti-establishment" conspiracies of the past generation (in terms of percentage of adherents) "Bush Did 9/11" and "Obama was a secret Kenyan that wasn't born in the US" enjoyed widespread popularity in their respective factions prior to the types tech advances we're talking about.

There has to be a certainly pre-existing amount of underlying skepticism already present for conspiracy theories to "work" ("work" meaning, actually sway people). Where did that pre-existing skepticism come from is what I'm trying to get at.

I think that would indicate that if there's enough underlying skepticism out there in the "ethos", the vehicle doesn't matter, whether it be a Russian bot twitter feed, or a faux documentary from hacks like a Michael Moore or a Dinesh D'Souza