How disinformation spreads during breaking news events
Posted January 10, 2020 5:13 am.
In today’s Big Story podcast, first, there was the threat of war. Then an earthquake. Then a plane crash. All in the same region during a 12-h0ur stretch that left the entire world scrambling for information. In those situations, we’re particularly vulnerable to spread of hoaxes, conspiracies and good ol’ fashioned lies. Unless we can debunk the falsehoods in real time.
Jane Lytvynenko is a disinformation reporter at Buzzfeed News. When global tragedy strikes, she’s often social media’s point person for flushing out fakes. When news events pile one on top of another, it’s almost impossible not to get lost in the mess. Here’s how she does it—and how you can sort truth from fiction for yourself the next time it happens.
GUEST: Jane Lytvynenko, Buzzfeed News
You can subscribe to The Big Story podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google and Spotify
You can also find it at thebigstorypodcast.ca.
