Several recent fires that started in cities, restaurants, caravans, and forests have been reported by news outlets. Forest fires erupted in a number of European and African countries. Authorities stated that the extreme heatwave in many regions is probably what caused the fires to start. Many shocking videos and photos of wildfires ravaging forests and locals' homes have been shared online.
As social media users scrolled through their feeds for wildfire updates, misinformation creators used old videos of fires, explosions, and strikes to stir up emotional responses and maximize engagement with their content.
One Video, Multiple Claims
As social media feeds were flooded with shocking videos of fires and explosions, some users circulated outdated videos as if they were recent. On July 19, 2022, a Twitter user shared a 23-minute video of a blast, claiming it shows an oil pipeline explosion causing a fire in Khuzestan province, Iran.
On July 17, 2022, another Twitter user shared the same video, but with a different claim. The video was described as "a terrifying explosion in an oil pipeline in the Sultanate of #Oman."
The same video was also shared with the caption, "The 1762 MW Guddu power plant is totally destroyed by burning."
Misbar investigated the claims and found that the video depicts a fuel tanker blast on the Afghanistan-Iran border on February 13, 2021.
The same video was posted in 2021 when dozens of gas and oil barrels caught fire in Afghanistan's Islam Qala port in Herat.
Misbar has previously debunked other misleading videos that have circulated on various occasions with different claims.
Earlier this year, Misbar investigated an old video of a burning building in 2020 that was posted on January 17, 2022, claiming to show a fire that broke out in an explosion in Abu Dhabi.
The same video, but with a different claim, was debunked by Misbar's Arabic team.
The video was, in fact, taken on August 5, 2020, when a fire broke out in a popular market in Ajman, UAE.
Social media users who intentionally or unintentionally spread false information use old videos in a variety of misleading contexts to produce false stories that have a greater impact on public opinion.
These actions are carried out by "social engineers," who manipulate human emotions by fabricating their own stories based on what is trending and what garners reactions.
What Is ‘Social Engineering'?
Social engineering is the art of manipulating, influencing, or deceiving internet users in order to gain control over their thinking or computer system. Social engineering techniques can be used to manipulate people and expose their private information, such as usernames, passwords, and even pictures. This manipulation enables social change management and predicts a person's or society's future development and behavior. Cyberattacks and hacking are frequently associated with social engineering.
Social engineering can be used to find the most suitable claim and language, and to predict how users will react to the content.
Some people who spread false information can also use psychological factors and a lack of media literacy to get people to believe their stories. A misinformation generator often relies on a clickbait to attract people. However, a false claim may also be generated unintentionally.
Normal social media users who do not intend to spread false information can also contribute to the spread of misinformation by sharing videos or images with inaccurate captions.
Misbar’s Sources:
Read More:
How Does Social Media Maximize Profits By Making Users Angry?
Misinformation Beliefs and Their Psychological Drivers During Crisis
