A popular social media post making the rounds in the days since Hurricane Milton has convinced thousands of people that a so-called Hurricane Nadine has formed in the Gulf of Mexico, and that it’s barreling toward Florida for yet another dose of destruction. Luckily for the Sunshine State, these concerns are unfounded – the post is an internet hoax.
There is a small bit of truth in the post; the next named storm on the schedule is indeed Nadine. That system is a tropical wave as of Friday, but it’s not over the Gulf of Mexico. What would become Nadine is well across the Atlantic Ocean near Africa and is not likely to form.
The post originated from a Facebook account by the name of Caralynne Kline. The account appeared to have deleted the post sometime Thursday, but not before it could be circulated tens of thousands of times both in its original form and in screenshots. Floridians shared the post until it spread like wildfire, sewing concern that the state was going to get pounded by a third straight major hurricane.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), misinformation is most prevalent at spreading on social media due to algorithms which promote content that creates engagement – and fear is one of the top reasons a user might give a post engagement. “Most online misinformation originates from a small minority of ‘superspreaders’,” the APA said, “but social media amplifies their reach and influence.”
Another misinformation phenomenon is presently influencing the political realm surrounding hurricanes Milton and Helene. Claims have taken hold online that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is providing Helene victims only $750 in relief funding; the funds in question are an immediate, urgent-needs payment to precede further FEMA assistance at a later time. FEMA is also pushing back against reports that their funding was cut to address the US-Mexican border or the Russo-Ukrainian War.
“It is reducing the likelihood that survivors will come to FEMA with a trusted way to register for assistance,” said FEMA’s Keith Turi. The agency has set up a page online to correct falsehoods being spread about their response and preparedness to Milton and Helene, along with the rest of the 2024 hurricane season.
