Ask A Genius 1129: Avalanche of Disinformation
Author(s): Rick Rosner and Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Ask A Genius
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/10/06
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: I’ll give a quick preface. The other issue you brought to mind, just as we started the call, was whether the public can make informed decisions when they need more background knowledge and processes to obtain the right information. It could lead to overload if they’re overwhelmed by misinformation from social media, demagogues, etc. This avalanche of misinformation has cascading effects in my industry and many others.
Rick Rosner: For example, today, Trump returned to a rally location where an incident reportedly clipped his ear. Whether it was a bullet or shrapnel is unclear.
Elon Musk was there with him, which is concerning because Musk is a significant source of information for many people, and he’s now heavily biased in favour of Trump. Although only some people use X (formerly Twitter) compared to other platforms, it still pumps out tremendous disinformation.
We have 31 days until the election—well, 30 now since the day is almost over. Anyone with common sense knew the day’s issues would be saturated with lies. One of the major issues is the damage and fatalities caused by Hurricane Helene and FEMA’s response. Republican and Democratic governors and officials on the ground have stated they are getting everything they need from FEMA. However, a lot misinformation is spreading, claiming that FEMA is blockading people and not providing adequate help.
There needs to be more clarity, too, about the $700 emergency assistance payment that FEMA provides for immediate needs like food, shelter, and other essentials. This has been in place for years, though the amount may have varied in the past. Misinformers on X (Twitter) are falsely claiming that people only get $700 because the U.S. gave billions to Ukraine or immigrants. None of this is true. The funds for Ukraine and immigrants are entirely separate, and any shortfall in disaster relief funds is more likely due to the increasing frequency of powerful natural disasters. However, more aid is on the way.
Look at Maui, for instance. After the horrific wildfires that killed many and destroyed thousands of homes, residents didn’t just receive $700. They have been receiving grants of tens of thousands of dollars, up to $42,000 for temporary housing, and a projected total of at least $1.3 billion in relief, with some estimates reaching $3 billion from FEMA to rebuild parts of Hawaii. It takes time to distribute these funds, but the money will continue to reach affected North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia residents in the coming weeks and months.
There’s a lot disinformation out there, mainly from Trump supporters, Russian operatives, and right-wing pundits who are rabble-rousing with lies. And with a month left until the election, they’ll continue to spread as a lot misinformation as possible. It was entirely predictable.
The specific lies are hard to predict because they’re built from current events. The end.
Rick Rosner, American Comedy Writer, www.rickrosner.org
Scott Douglas Jacobsen, Independent Journalist, www.in-sightpublishing.com
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