Horrendous California wildfires have created an opportunity for those seeking profit, power and / or fame to spread wildfires of false information forcing the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the California governor and local officials to dedicate time and resources to push back against the rumors and lies at a time at which their efforts are better spent directing those involved with fighting fires and saving lives .
Misinformation can circulate quickly online via social media and other channels, either knowingly by influencers and foreign governments, or unintentionally by people who don’t take the time to verify the truth before communicating it to their followers.
Examples of misinformation being spread related to the California wildfires include declarations about the complete destruction of Palisades Charter High School, claims that fire trucks from California’s northern neighbor were stuck at the border due to smog checks, statements about a “permit” that supposedly would allow expedited reentry into evacuation zones, and blaming alleged budget cuts to firefighting at the state and local Los Angeles levels on Mayor Karen Bass.
Rather than voicing or believing information that may not be true, do your part to help address these types of threats to our security, democracy and freedom by learning the skills on how to validate misinformation. It is more important than ever before in our country’s history to do your own fact checking by acquiring the essential skills on how to debunk myths using our simple, Validating Truth step-by-step guide.
