Public Health

cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/34970724

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False and misleading claims about extreme weather events spread unchecked on social media are putting lives at risk, new research suggests

The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) - which analyzed viral posts on the social media platform X, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook - found that when a storm of false and misleading claims about extreme weather events, the platforms' algorithms amplify conspiracy theorists while sidelining life-saving information.

CCDH looked at the 300 most-liked posts on X, YouTube, and Meta about extreme weather events in the U.S. like Texas floods, Hurricane Helene and the LA wildfires.

Key points:

• False or misleading claims about extreme weather were viewed 221 million times across all platforms.
• Community Notes or fact checks are almost entirely absent on viral posts spreading false claims during major disasters.
• Social media companies are profiting from lies about extreme weather events.
• On X, 88% of misleading extreme weather posts were from verified accounts. The platform enables paid subscriptions for five of these accounts – which combined have 14 million followers
• On YouTube, 73% of posts were from verified accounts. YouTube displayed ads next to 29% of misleading extreme weather videos.
• On Facebook and Instagram, 64% of posts were from verified accounts. Meta is sharing ad revenue with three content creators pushing misleading claims, enabling them to share in Meta’s revenue from ads near their posts.
• ‘Superspreaders’ of false claims and conspiracies online, like Alex Jones [a U.S. far-right radio show host and prominent conspiracy theorist], get more views than official information during extreme weather events like the LA wildfires.
• Alex Jones’ false claims about the LA wildfires amassed 408 million views on X – more than the combined views of posts from 10 major news outlets and 10 key emergency agencies.