- Marta inspires Orlando Pride to NWSL title
- Palestinian pottery sees revival in war-ravaged Gaza
- Main points of the $300 billion climate deal
- Robertson wants policy change for overseas-based All Blacks
- Israel retreat helps rescuers heal from October 7 attack
- Afghan women turn to entrepreneurship under Taliban
- Mounting economic costs of India's killer smog
- At climate talks, painstaking diplomacy and then anger
- Uruguayans head to polls with left hoping for comeback
- Trump's mass deportation plan could end up hurting economic growth
- Iran director in exile says 'bittersweet' to rep Germany at Oscars
- US consumers to bargain hunt in annual 'Black Friday' spree
- Cheers, angst as US nuclear plant Three Mile Island to reopen
- Scientists seek miracle pill to stop methane cow burps
- Australia ditches plans to fine tech giants for misinformation
- Developing nations slam 'paltry' $300 bn climate deal
- Red Bulls win 'Hudson River derby' to reach conference final
- Neuville wins world title after Tanak crashes at Rally Japan
- Neuville wins world rally title after Tanak crashes in Japan
- Colapinto cleared for Las Vegas GP despite heavy crash
- 'Smiling One' Amorim vows he has ruthless streak Man Utd need
- Marseille down Lens to stay in touch with Ligue 1 leaders, Lyon draw
- New Zealand beat 'proud' Italy in Cane's Test farewell
- Barca collapse in Celta draw without Yamal, Simeone hits milestone
- Thailand's Jeeno equals Yin for lead at LPGA Tour Championship
- New Zealand beat Italy in Cane's Test farewell
- Marseille down Lens to stay in touch with Ligue 1 leaders, Lyon held to draw
- Liga leaders Barca suffer late collapse in Celta draw
- Retegui fires Atalanta top of Serie A ahead of Inter
- Greaves hits maiden Test century as West Indies dominate Bangladesh
- Venezuela opposition calls for mass anti-Maduro protest on Dec. 1
- 'Fragile' Man City in uncharted territory, admits Guardiola
- Erasmus hails Springbok strength in depth after thrashing Wales
- Postecoglou calls for consistent Spurs after Man City rout
- 'We've never lived this situation' admits Guardiola
- Lebanon says more than 55 killed in Israeli strikes
- 'We've never lived this situation' admits Guardiola as Man City lose five in a row
- Under-fire Gatland 'motivated' to continue as Wales coach
- South Africa send Wales crashing to 87-year low in Test rout
- Spurs condemn Man City to fifth straight defeat as Arsenal win
- Defeated Leipzig lose more ground on Bayern, Frankfurt go second
- South Africa put Wales to the sword to wrap up season
- Spurs thrash Man City 4-0 to end 52-match unbeaten home run
- Defeated Leipzig lose more ground on Bayern
- Venezuela opposition calls for 'enormous' anti-Maduro protest
- Inter take Serie A lead as AC Milan and Juve bore in stalemate
- England captain George wary of Jones's influence on Japan
- Thousands demand lower rents at Barcelona demo
- 'Puzzle' master Sinner powers champions Italy back into Davis Cup final
- Odegaard inspires Arsenal to reignite title hopes
Misinformation fears mount over second Trump term
Donald Trump's election victory paves the way for a fresh wave of misinformation, not only around politics but also on vaccines and climate, with his expected cabinet picks ready to challenge the scientific community.
In the closing weeks of his 2024 campaign, Trump aired false claims about weather manipulation and government assistance after hurricanes hit North Carolina, a swing state he would ultimately win.
With fewer checks from social media platforms and the struggling traditional media, he also complained -- without evidence -- about voter fraud, the 2020 election, the Covid-19 pandemic, vaccine harms and more.
These claims ricocheted across the internet through a network of social media influencers, who in many cases have become news sources for the public as media become increasingly fragmented.
"The problem of misinformation and disinformation is the worst it's ever been," said Bill Adair, a Duke University professor who founded the fact-checking site PolitiFact and authored the 2024 book "Beyond the Big Lie."
The tactics designed to contain and correct misinformation, such as fact-checking and social media moderation, "are clearly not working," Adair added.
He predicted few changes ahead from platforms that have largely exempted elected officials from fact-checking "because they don't want to make the politicians mad."
Even as the 2024 campaign was under way, polls found roughly one-third of Americans believed the 2020 election was stolen by Joe Biden.
Misinformation researchers at NewsGuard found 963 websites and 793 social media accounts that have repeatedly published false election information, and 1,283 partisan websites masquerading as neutral news organizations during the campaign.
"The right has invested, since 2016, in building participatory, activist, factional social media networks that are directly tied into its 'small batch' propaganda media ecosystem," said Renee DiResta, a misinformation researcher, in a Threads post.
"Things move from one sphere to the next: rumors are picked up by the propaganda machine if useful. Memes shape the messaging.
"The influencers boost each other."
Ethan Porter, a researcher and professor at George Washington University, said that while misinformation efforts may not have been decisive in his victory, "Trump was almost certainly helped by Twitter/X's apparent refusal to contain or mitigate pro-Trump misinformation."
- Science and health -
The upcoming four more years for Trump have raised concerns of legitimizing misinformation about vaccines, climate change and other health issues given his alliance with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose nonprofit has been a major promoter of false conspiracy theories on Covid-19.
"How are people not alarmed by Trump wanting RFK Jr, a person who has no formal education in health care, in charge of health… this man has promoted anti-vaccine misinformation and public-health conspiracy theories for years," Alma Hernandez, a Democratic member of the Arizona House of Representatives, said on X.
The Union of Concerned Scientists said the first Trump administration made 1,400 changes to agency websites that removed science-based information on environmental issues such as water pollution, climate change, and endangered species.
"President-elect Trump's path to the White House has been an unprecedented campaign of disinformation, threats, divisive language, and dangerous policy promises. It's understandable to look ahead to the next four years with serious worry," acting president Kim Waddell said in a statement.
- Muzzling the media -
Trump's attacks on the media have also raised alarm bells about coverage of his administration.
Journalist and author Kyle Paoletta wrote that he fears "Trump's assault on the press will become a fusillade of discreet attempts to quash whatever reporting he views as antagonistic" and questions whether reporters will maintain access or face harassment.
In a similar way, social media has retreated in content moderation as misinformation researchers face threats and attacks from conservative lawmakers.
Since taking over Twitter, now known as X, Elon Musk –- who may join Trump's cabinet –- has amplified rather than curbed misinformation.
Matt Gertz of the left-leaning watchdog Media Matters said Trump won over voters thanks in part to "a right-wing media complex that bombards them with falsehoods and grievances while dissuading them from consulting any alternative sources of information, be they legacy news outlets or government officials or medical experts."
Daniel Kreiss, a professor and researcher at the University of North Carolina Center for Information, Technology and Public Life, said the failure of fact-checking and traditional reporting to stem the spread of misinformation could be "devastating."
"What we're going to see are concerted campaigns to undermine democratic institutions and democratic norms," Kreiss said.
K.Thomson--BTB