Disinformation Watch

Stories highlighting the rising use of disinformation to increase social division, fuel anxiety, and manipulate public policy and election results.

Hurricane Misinformation Deluge Reveals New Escalating Climate Hazard

By Yale Climate Communications ● Disinformation Watch ● October 12, 2024

Dangerous online rumors that exploded after Hurricane Helene could be just the beginning, says emergency management expert Samantha Montano.

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Jordan Peterson Serves Climate Denial Mass to Fort Worth Faithful

By DeSmog ● Texas ● September 24, 2024

“The religious right has been pushing the same narrative for years, linking social liberals to authoritarian socialism, and in turn characterizing environmental science as a socialist partisan weapon.” — Adrian Bardon

Anti-Trans Disinfo Creeping on Climate Justice Spaces (Part 2 of 2)

By Marisol Cortez ● Disinformation Watch ● June 21, 2024

Climate denialists have long deployed the nefarious practice of ‘manufacturing doubt’ to undermine public understanding of the scientific consensus on global warming. Now anti-trans movements are borrowing the technique to poison trans healthcare research and ban care.

Anti-Trans Disinfo Creeping on Climate Justice Spaces (Part 1 of 2)

By Marisol Cortez ● Disinformation Watch ● June 13, 2024

Orgs like Environmental Progress and Deep Green Resistance show the need to study the labels on ‘green’ groups to avoid carrying water for fascists and other far-right reactionaries.

Your Gas Stove Is Actually A Problem—and the Fossil Fuel Industry Has Known for Years

By Climate Investigations Center ● Disinformation Watch ● January 4, 2024

A new report from the Climate Investigations Center shows how the gas industry used Big Tobacco’s playbook to manufacture controversy around the health-damaging emissions from indoor gas stoves.

How to Stop Climate Disinformation

By The Nation ● Disinformation Watch ● February 20, 2023

Disinfo on Twitter and and ‘nature-rinsing’ ad campaigns on Facebook are the norm. Transparency and accountability at Big Tech—and an end to the monetization of disinformation—is what’s required.

American Stewards of Liberty: The Culture Warriors Out to Destroy ‘America the Beautiful’

By Greg Harman ● Disinformation Watch ● June 22, 2022

Billions of dollars may soon be en route for US wildlife conservation. But a Texas-based org’s groundless ‘land grab’ warnings have seeded resistance across the West.

National Butterfly Center smeared by Pizzagate-style disinfo campaign closing ‘for the immediate future’

By Greg Harman ● Biodiversity ● February 2, 2022

Center Director Marianna Treviño-Wright says ‘psyops’ harassment and a recent violent confrontation preceded decision to close.

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‘Gracias a Petroleo’: Fossil Fuel Ad Campaign Claims the Taco Truck

By Greg Harman ● Disinformation Watch ● November 27, 2021

Look Beyond’s “San Antonio Entrepreneur Series” highlights businesses willing to give the petroleum industry an unqualified endorsement.

How COVID-19 and White Fragility are Fueling Fascist Creep

By Greg Harman ● Disinformation Watch ● May 20, 2020