Tips for combating misinformation during times of crisis
Former FEMA comms pro shares tips from last year’s hurricanes.
In times of crisis, misinformation and disinformation can be just as dangerous as the crisis itself.
No one knows that better than Justin Ángel Knighten, former associate administrator in the Office of External Affairs at FEMA. He experienced this multiple times over the years, including during the response to Hurricanes Milton and Helene last year. In both cases, misinformation obstructed the federal agency’s response efforts and delayed aid.
“In an already complex online environment, we had to communicate lifesaving, urgent information to get people in Florida and Tampa Bay to evacuate,” Knighten recalled during Ragan’s Future of Communications Conference in Austin, Texas.
“AI-driven content spread misinformation so quickly that we couldn’t respond fast enough,” he continued. “We knew bad actors were involved because of how rapidly the misinformation escalated.”
During his presentation, Knighten highlighted tips for proactively addressing misinformation.
Keep your ear to the ground
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