<
https://theconversation.com/why-conspiracy-theories-and-misinformation-spread-in-the-long-wait-for-cyclone-alfred-251899>
"Last Monday, March 3, the Bureau of Meteorology warned residents of Queensland
and New South Wales that Tropical Cyclone Alfred was coming their way. The
storm was expected to hit the coast on Thursday or Friday.
By Wednesday, landfall was expected on Thursday night, and residents braced for
impact. And then the waiting began.
The storm stalled, dithered and eventually weakened before reaching land early
on Saturday morning. But alongside punishing winds, rain and flooding, another
kind of damage spread during the long wait: conspiracy theories and
misinformation were rife on social media.
They were part of a growing worldwide trend. As climate change ramps up,
extreme weather proliferates and trust in authorities declines. Every large
natural disaster triggers a wave of conspiracy theorising."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
