JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Misinformation and conspiracy theories spreading online are hurting hurricane relief efforts. In the days following Hurricane Helene, federal and state officials have warned that false claims have distracted from rescue work.
The theories have even led FEMA and the American Red Cross to create rumor response pages to address misinformation.
“We talk all the time about making an evacuation plan. People need to think too about what’s my information plan,” Janet Coats, the director of the Consortium on Trust at the University of Florida, said.
Coats said while relief organizations should be focus their time and efforts on relief in the field, instead they’re having to dedicate resources to dispel rumors online.
“We saw so much and continue to see so much misinformation coming out of North Carolina after Hurricane Helene,” Coats said. “Things like FEMA is stealing supplies, confiscating supplies from relief centers, that if you take money from FEMA, they have the potential to take your land or your home. So, some really scary things that cause people to question whether they should even ask for help, which is truly tragic.”
Identifying trusted sources for information on natural disasters is an important step of disaster planning. Coats recommends local news organizations, official county and government websites and social media pages.
“Local meteorologists are doing amazing work, and they really become this trusted lifeline at moments like this,” Coats said. “[They’re] worried about the same things that their audience is worried about they’re worried about their homes. They’re worried about their families. They’re worried about their pets. That connection and knowing that these are organizations and individuals who care about that community, trying to identify those local sources is just so important.”
It’s also important to remember that content creators on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram may be motivated by monetization.
“You know there are a lot of unscrupulous people out there who take these great moments of tragedy and fear and use them to make a buck,” Coats said. “Our own instincts can be our best protection. So disinformation is intended, it’s created to play on our emotions. It’s intended to create a strong emotional response. Anger or fear are two of the big ones. So, if you’re looking at, you know, something on social media and it’s making you feel really angry or really sad, that is a sign that maybe you need to stop and take a minute to see, can I verify the source of where this is coming from?”