Satirical posts about Hurricane Erin evacuations are starting to show up on social media. A Facebook page called Coastal Views shows images of massive crowds dragging items across the beach and pouring through a tunnel, but they are meant to be comical.
The posts are calling into question whether the hurricane is that serious.
Unfortunately, a portion of the evacuation news is entirely accurate.
According to multiple meteorological reports, Hurricane Erin does pose a threat as it moves through the Caribbean and toward Puerto Rico. Evacuation orders were issued recently for parts of North Carolina including the Outer Banks.
Misinformation also spread online during the 2024 hurricane season. One report about Hurricane Helene suggested that the misinformation could hinder relief efforts.
A Dare County page on Facebook posted a warning about AI-generated social media posts. A report in the Raleigh News & Observer also debunked fake images of horses being moved out of the area, some that are being reposted or shared without context.
None of the posts I found about Hurricane Erin on social media were marked as satirical or flagged as fake news. Meta has not responded to requests for more information. The admin for the Coastal Views page did not return a direct message by the time this story posted.
Why fake posts about Hurricane Erin are starting to appear
Whenever there’s a major media event of any kind, it’s just a matter of hours or minutes before satirical or fake posts start popping up, some that spread misinformation. While this latest flare up seems minor, it can impact people who live in the area.
According to the Raleigh-based news and weather station WRAL, the Coastal Views page and other fake images could be problematic if people do not realize it is meant as satire, as they stated: “While the content on the Coastal Views Facebook page makes light of the evacuation notices, it’s important to note the photos and videos are not an accurate description of what’s happening on the coast.”
In the recent report, the station quoted the Facebook page of Dare County, saying: “Misinformation spreads quicker than storms.”
As the warnings continue to escalate and the hurricane makes its way up the coast, the county is warning residents about how to check the facts and stay informed without causing alarm that is not necessary or warranted.
Misinformation about Hurricane Erin
That fact-checking is a difficult challenge, but experts do suggest checking official meteorological sites like the National Weather Service or NPR.
The problem is that those sites require a bit more effort to find and research the facts, whereas a social media post can appear in your feed at any time. Fake news also spreads quickly when people are stressed and agitated.
There’s also a tendency to believe what we see.
In recent studies, including this one from last year, false information spread quickly online because we tend to accept the truth about something when there are images and text presented as real, and then see it over and over again. It’s human nature to believe that the same viral image popping up everywhere would be real and not a massive hoax. Unfortunately, conspicuousness and popularity are not good indicators of truth.
One local meteorologist named Andrew Dockery from WMBF even took to Facebook in a video that warned people about the spread of misinformation.
As usual, the fake posts are often mixed with half-truths. The storm will likely roll up to the Outer Banks within the next day or two, but it’s likely not going to make landfall, per Dockery’s report and other predictions.
How to know which Hurricane Erin reports are real
As with any misinformation or fake AI-generated images you find, the secret is in confirming the news with major news outlets. Usually, it’s a good idea to check multiple sources to see if they are all saying the same thing and showing the same images and video clips.
This has been true since the dawn of the internet decades ago and is still true with social media. Checking any facts with multiple sources helps confirm whether it is one rogue person trying to create a viral sensation or if it’s a legitimate report you should take seriously.
There’s a recent rise in misinformation due to how easy it can be to make fake images using AI. The tools are readily available, so imposters can create fake images in minutes.
Hopefully Hurricane Erin really does blow over quickly along with the fake and satirical posts. For some of us, it’s just too easy to get caught up in the sensationalism.
