I may be a little late to the game, but since I only record an episode twice a month, this was the absolute soonest that I could get to this topic.
In the aftermath of the devastating wildfires in Maui, misinformation and conspiracy theories have spread online, underscoring the shortcomings of social media firms’ enforcement policies following disasters.
Conspiracy theories including that the fire was started intentionally by a secret “energy weapon” and that a shadowy cabal of global elites set the blazes purposefully to clear the land for their own nefarious uses have gained popularity.
The trend draws on existing far-right tropes that global-minded organizations such as the United Nations and the World Economic Forum are plotting to forcibly move people into “smart cities” where their freedoms will be severely curtailed by advanced technologies. Social media users have blamed figures like Elon Musk and Oprah Winfrey for starting the fire.
In some cases, platforms inadvertently prioritized such content. A study conducted by the TTP and anti-hate group the Anti-Defamation League found that the search function on Facebook or Instagram will auto-complete certain terms with conspiracy theories, with the phrase “World Economic Forum” returning results for “World Evil Forum” that include conspiracy theories.
This is a clear example of how even in something as simple as search results, the platforms are weighing conspiracy content over more legitimate content on the websites.
So, what’s real, and what’s nothing more than fringe Conspiracy Theorists trying to get their 15 minutes of fame in? And…how can you tell the two apart?
Well, that’s what I’ll be talking about tonight, and hopefully by the end of this episode, you’ll have a better idea of what’s real and what isn’t.
To learn more, you’ll have to Turn On, Tune In, & Find Out!
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ParaReality is an hour long podcast that talks to guests from all over the world as they explore paranormal/pagan/spiritual/inspirational topics and issues including subjects related to ghosts, spirits, hauntings, apparitions, electronic voice phenomena,, the unexplained, Wicca, the esoteric, the occult, magick, cryptids, UFO sightings, medicine, alternative healing, psychic abilities, conspiracy theories, and more.
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the maui wildfire
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