"... this is a Doom Loop: authorities screw up, people die, trust is eroded."

In this podcast episode, host Paul Brandus discusses the dangerous spread of false narratives during natural disasters and crises. He highlights the devastating impact of Hurricane Adelia on Cedar Key, Florida, and the disinformation that followed, causing confusion and undermining trust in authorities. He also discusses the phenomenon of disinformation during other crises, such as wildfires and hurricanes, including Hurricane Katrina. Just as the erosion of our environment during a climate crisis threatens our physical world, the erosion of faith in public institutions during these events can be just as damaging, and sometimes longer lasting. Brandus and his guests explore the breakdown of communication and trust that occurred during Katrina and how it continues to affect public perception. The episode emphasizes the importance of reliable sources of information and the challenges of navigating the flood of information in a crisis. Social media also plays a role in disseminating both accurate and inaccurate information during emergencies.

[00:02:43] Fact-checking and disinformation.

[00:05:26] Disinformation during crises.

[00:12:57] Communications breakdown during Hurricane Katrina.

[00:13:24] Erosion of public trust.

[00:18:10] Social media in crisis situations.

Got questions, comments or ideas or an example of disinformation you'd like us to check out? Send them to [email protected]. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Special thanks to our guest Ashley Goosman, founder of Disaster Empire, CEO of Emergent Risk International Meredith Wilson, our sound designer and editor Noah Foutz, audio engineer Nathan Corson, and executive producers Michael DeAloia and Gerardo Orlando. Thanks so much for listening.