After every big news event, social media goes crazy with a mix of fact, fiction, and fake news. Hurricane Florence was no exception, with the mythological “fake shark” photo showing up as it has after every hurricane since 2011. But some of the flurry of activity on social media can confuse the situation or provide misinformation that can mask the important things citizens need to know, like when to evacuate. Jim Galloway of the Atlanta Journal Constitution posted an editorial this week on this topic, quoting Drs. Sarah DeYoung and Marshall Shepherd of UGA on the damage that bad social media can cause. You can read it at https://politics.myajc.com/blog/politics/when-hurricane-florence-met-hurricane-fake-news/CKi4qU9LJS9Gs9VtLwhafM/.
