WASHINGTON — The rapid development of Hurricane Milton appears to be only matched by how quickly a new round of misinformation is spreading online.
The social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, is among the hotbeds of a new wave of crackpot conspiracies about weather manipulation and the government withholding resources. The consequences can be life threatening, according to emergency managers, who are asking the public to stop and consider the sources they are willing to share disaster information.
“I find it heartbreaking to see that the same platforms and channels that we're using to get information that can save lives are being abused by whoever, whatever to send out misinformation that causes confusion, disruption, and basically -- bottom line -- it disrupts people's ability to stay safe and stay alive," said Mark Brady, a national expert in public safety communications who is the former spokesperson for the Prince George's County Fire Department.
A North Carolina YouTuber reacted to false stories about federal authorities seizing land and bulldozing bodies by walking to one devastated community to see for himself. He concluded "someone just created crazy stories." His video has 3.3 million views.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Deanne Chriswell talked on ABC's "This Week" about the damage being done by misinformation about FEMA.
"We've had the local officials helping to push back on this truly dangerous narrative that is creating this fear of trying to reach out for help or to register for help," Chriswell said. "You know, people need resources, and we need them to get into the system."
Brady said the local officials closest to an impacted community are some of the best sources of information in a disaster, including local first responders and local government. He added that it’s a bad idea to share information from sources you’ve never heard of.
“What we're asking people to do now is only use your trusted forms of communications and rely on that information and not look at what other people are providing out there," Brady said.