Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tech News

Violent threats against FEMA swirl on social media

Two people wearing FEMA uniforms and helmets seen from behind, walking next to a dog.
Members of the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force search a flood-damaged area with a search canine in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene along the Swannanoa River on October 4th in Asheville, North Carolina. | Photo by Mario Tama / Getty Images

FEMA employees scrambling to respond to the devastation caused by hurricanes Milton and Helene are facing a new, unexpected challenge: violent threats on social media.

TikTok posts either calling for violence or applauding unverified claims about physical attacks against FEMA personnel have garnered millions of views, according to a report yesterday from nonprofit Media Matters for America. X has also been fertile ground for threats of violence against FEMA, says another analysis published yesterday by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD).

“This content is reaching millions of people and, in some instances, poses a credible risk to public safety,” ISD says.

Social media misinformation has fed distrust in FEMA, which officials warn…

Continue reading…

You May Also Like

Editor's Pick

Chris Edwards The federal “tax gap” is the amount of taxes owed but not paid on time, which is loosely viewed as the amount...

Editor's Pick

Walter Olson This November voters in Nevada, Colorado, and Idaho will consider whether to adopt versions of the “Alaska model,” discussed in this space...

Editor's Pick

Colleen Hroncich Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota is the poorest area in the nation, says Mary Jo Fairhead, a former public school teacher...

Editor's Pick

Even though the S&P 500 index appears to be relentlessly pursuing new all-time highs, the traditional seasonal weakness in October leads me to be...