This past week, news coverage has almost focused solely on the devastating impacts of Hurricane Milton. Just weeks after being hit by its first category 4 hurricane, Florida began bracing for another destructive storm. However, one unprecedented danger arose: hurricane conspiracy theories.
Terror and panic swept across the state, leading many people to post updates and spread awareness on the internet. Unfortunately, in the midst of all of the chaos, some decided to add fuel to the fire by planting theories about how, incredibly, the government was behind these natural disasters.
Essentially, the theory is that President Biden and his government are “geo-engineering” the weather and purposefully creating hurricanes in Florida, a red state, to impede Republican voters from being able to participate in the upcoming Presidential election.
A pair of TikTokers, named “thegoodliars,” interview Trump supporters at rallies across the country. Days after the hurricane, they asked a Trump supporter who believed the conspiracy theory, why the United States would do something to hurt its people.
“They want to control certain places, if you look at where the hurricane is going, it’s a lot of red counties,” she responded. “They’re doing everything they can because [democrats] can’t rig the election.”
The conspiracy theory has been spread by more than just TikTok users and Trump supporters. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who represents Georgia’s 14th congressional district, chimed in.
“Yes they can control the weather,” she posts on X. “It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can’t be done.”
It has been verified multiple times by various experts, that no type of technology could alter the trajectory of or create a hurricane. Nonetheless, this theory has gained momentum and poses significant dangers. The spread of these extreme narratives fuels paranoia, fortifies severe distrust in the government and leads to real-world violence, as followers are often driven to take extreme actions in what they perceive to be a “righteous mission.”
These and many more baffling theories have convinced millions of people to dismiss the veracity of confirmed incidents. The fact that these conspiracy believers are continuing to spread disinformation shows how far down the rabbit hole many have gone and why the spreading of such falsehoods needs to end.
Due to the ease of access to social media, it is important to remain aware of prevalent conspiracy theories to avoid falling into the trap of misinformation.
While many Americans are capable of distinguishing reality from conspiracy theories, the rapid spread of this theory underscores the need for more people to speak out about their inaccuracy. Addressing this issue through accurate public information could help curb the deepening of political divides, prevent further violence and restore trust in our government institutions.
