Identifying Misinformation
On February 3rd, 2023, a freight train derailed near East Palestine, Ohio, due to mechanical issues. Twenty of the cars on the train were determined to contain hazardous materials, including flammables and environmental risks.
As a result, the residents of East Palestine were warned to evacuate before any potential explosions could occur. This left many Ohioans and neighboring states worried about their health.
Two weeks later, a post was made on Facebook showing a picture of dead birds lying on a road (right). The poster stated that the birds had supposedly dropped dead in Kentucky, blaming the recent derailment and subsequent fires in East Palestine.
This isn't the only case of dead birds being associated with the freight train derailment, either. Associated Press reports at least two other instances in which videos or photos have been posted, one with the hashtag #OhioCoverup.
Conspiracy theorists have used images and videos of dead birds for years to cause a commotion, usually after disasters like this one. In fact, the photo from the Facebook post was not taken in Kentucky at all, but stolen off the Internet. It originates from Arkansas, where birds from Little Rock were found dead, most likely from eating fermented berries. The Arkansas case took place in 2019, having no connection to the Ohio train derailment.
Audience and Perspective
It is easy to see why Ohioans would be concerned about the derailment, especially since contaminants spilled into local rivers and streams. With the multitude of events combined with misinformation flooding social media, there were many questions about the air and water quality, as well as the health of residents, pets, and local wildlife.
When hazardous materials are involved, the first thing people do is panic. Even though cleanup and evacuation were prioritized to protect the surrounding areas, some still believed that nothing-- or not enough-- was being done to prevent the spread of chemicals in the air. Misinformation only fueled this fear.
It's very easy to give into social media posts that appear to be true and not ever do any research about them. However, consideration should be given to anything you see on the Internet, especially if it isn't from a news source you trust or recognize.
Strategies and Tactics
With questions still in the air surrounding the health of Ohio residents, it's too easy to trust the validity of a post when you don't have all the facts. The image of dead birds is actually real, so there is no denying its legitimacy-- especially if you've never come across its original source. This, combined with other misinformation about birds falling from the sky as a result of the derailment, leads to a convincing tale for those who are already on the brink of believing it.
A simple reverse image search of any of the misinformation media would prove that it was fake, but many people aren't aware of this tool. Older generations are the most likely to actively use Facebook, where the most popular image was posted, and are less likely to be tech-savvy.
As artificial intelligence and photo-editing techniques become more popular, it is harder and harder to determine whether an image is real or not. However, using real pictures from other, unrelated sources can do just as much damage. Many are willing to accept what they see at face value without question.
Fact Checking
There are many news sites that are credible and also have fact-checking articles related to controversies like the train derailment, but it can be hard to judge which ones are giving non-biased information. Sites like Politifact and FactCheck.org are useful for viewing recent debunks. News sites like Associated Press and Reuters also have sections for fact-checking.
The most important thing you can do to ensure that something you see on social media is true is to research it for yourself. Doing so much as a Google search and looking through articles by different sources can help you form your own, educated opinion on the topic.
Today, the EPA still has an active webpage dedicated to providing updates about the aftermath of the train derailment. It includes data on the air, soil, and water conditions, as well as news releases, photos, videos, and FAQs. While this slew of facts is not accessible for all cases of misinformation, for disasters like this, it is important to always check official sources before trusting social media posts.
Credits:
Created with images by vadim yerofeyev - "Dramatic sky with stormy clouds" • tharathip - "A group of seagulls flying in the colorful sky of the sea before dusk" • daniilantiq2010 - "Macro photography of check mark on white background"