The cogs in the climate misinformation and disinformation machine have been turning, incepting distrust into the public consciousness. This is projected to get worse as information deserts grow as local and reliable news dries up (one in three newspapers folding since ‘05), more people turn to social media for their information unaware of how profit-first algorithms are fueling division, fact-checking is becoming a thing of the past, and the right distributes targeted information to exploit pre-existing fears and biases by investing long-term in alternative media hosts and influencers.
Our water and climate challenges are scary, so it’s no wonder that people can be vulnerable to harmful spin. The disasters and inequities around us are hard truths to hold, and the opposition takes advantage of this on the regular to deflect and distract.
How water disinformation spreads during disaster
The ground is most fertile for disinformation to take root during big media moments like disasters, court decisions, and policy shifts.
For example, in California during the 2025 Los Angeles fires, Trump spread disinformation claiming that Governor Newsom was putting an endangered fish, the delta smelt, over people.
Trump also claimed troops were sent into California to turn water “back on” in the Central Valley, falsely claiming that the water would flow down to Los Angeles (spoiler: it doesn’t!). Thankfully, there have been some good debunking efforts, but it can be dizzying to keep up and to know what to do.
While there’s value in countering falsehoods, we can’t exhaust ourselves and sacrifice our long-term narrative-building as a water movement. We need to continue to name the stakes, connect around universal values, and inspire people to share our vision for a clean and accessible water future for all.
Experts weigh in: The state of the climate and water disinfo wars and how to cope
We held a roundtable conversation with Abbie Richards, Senior Video Producer at Media Matters for America and TikToker, and Phillip Newell, Communications Co-Chair of the Climate Action Against Disinformation Coalition to learn more.
Abbie shared how extractive industries and bad actors have a deceptive narrative formula, “With Helene we saw claims that said the hurricane was created on purpose to wipe out that area… so ‘they’ could mine it for lithium. With the LA wildfires you get the same thing. That the wildfires were started on purpose… it’s the exact same structure, ‘this was not climate, this was done on purpose.’ That takes the blame away from climate and gives them a scapegoat because now they don’t have to address climate change.”
We also heard from Phillip who said we should listen to our bodies and emotions when we feel like a coiled spring after watching or reading something online. “It should be relatively rare that you get emotionally activated and your nervous system responds. That’s when you take a breath and think, ‘where does this come from?’ That’s the first stop, ‘What’s the primary source of this information. Is it right? Is it true?’,” he said.
We discussed how to cope with information overload, being mindful of our own emotions, and how the media and political landscape is making it more challenging to keep up, with helpful tips and resources.
“It should be on these platforms and institutions to re-erect the guardrails so you don’t have to fight for your life every time you read something on your phone,” said Phillip.
Could not agree any more. While we might wish the state of play was different, this is where we’re at with our media and digital reality, so Phil and Abbey shared advice for how to spot, respond, and stay resilient to disinformation. Watch the recording to get the full scoop!
How to prepare and respond to disinformation
Below are some pieces from our new disinfo guide. You can download the full version here.
Before a media moment
- Educate people about real causes, solutions, and human stakes behind our issues.
- Operation Pre-bunk 🫡: Counter mis- and disinformation before it spreads. This helps people spot and disregard false facts. Here’s how you do it:
- Identify possible common misconceptions about programs and policies we know are in the crosshairs (disaster preparedness and relief funds, lead and PFAS laws, pollution prevention rules, environmental justice programs, etc.)
- Dispel myths early: Use your platforms to share facts and connect these abstract ideas to people’s lives.
- Use simple messaging: Use accessible language and visuals when you can!
- Repeat, repeat, repeat
- Work with creators (aka “influencers”) as trusted messengers to make your message irresistible and lower the barrier to entry.
- Shift your digital dollars: Instead of running ads on Meta where fact-checking has gone out the window and it’s easy for comments to spin out of control, invest in creator partnerships.
During a media moment
Mis- and disinformation can spike around (un)natural disasters or when new funding programs are announced. It’s not realistic to put out every fire, but we can take strategic action while not losing sight of our long-term goals.
- Don’t re-share disinfo on social media from the source– even to debunk it! You’ll feed the algorithm making the post go further. If you want to educate your audience, take a screenshot instead.
- If you respond to false claims, use the fact-fallacy-fact sandwich 🥪
Example: Responding to a viral post that says, “We need desalination now! I’m tired of government conspiracies telling us to stop using our water when we can get free water from the ocean!”
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- ✅ Fact: “Desalinated water is expensive, and can drive up monthly bills for families and businesses.”
- ❌ Fallacy: “Water saving programs are a common sense solution, not a government conspiracy, and they are designed to prevent water waste, not normal household use.”
- ✅ Fact: “Making wise use of water helps keep costs down while ensuring there’s enough for everyone. Desalination should be a last resort after we’ve stretched current supplies.”
- Follow the receipts: Is this story being shared across multiple trusted outlets?
- Shelf life: Check the date. Disinfo can be an old news story or social post intentionally taken out of context. This can also look like misinformation when people unknowingly recirculate something that’s dated.
- Fact check: Run the information by resources that verify or debunk claims like Snopes, Politifact, or Chequebot for Spanish-speaking audiences.
- Reverse image search: Use tools like Google Images to see if a video or photo has been used before or manipulated.
- Report it: Flag misleading content on social media. This is especially important as some platforms are deprioritizing this process internally.
- Read the comment section 👹: Don’t be a petri dish for mis- and disinfo to spread 🦠 Rebut false claims on your page. This is not to blow off steam, but to serve people who read through later. If you can’t respond, then delete comments or turn off the comment function.
After the media moment passes
- Find your center: Continue focusing on how our work speaks to people’s values. Keep talking about climate preparedness and disaster prevention.
- Protect your energy: Don’t lose steam from playing whack-a-mole with false facts 24/7.
- Spark radical imagination ✨: We need to make our issues infectious as we still do rapid response work. It’s the only antidote to despair–– seeding an affirmative vision for the future we’re dreaming into reality.
More resources: Who to follow, what to read
- CAAD best practices for disinformation monitoring
- Debunking Handbook
- Abbie Richards– TikToker and misinformation researcher
- Water Hub’s How to Defuse Climate and Water Disinformation Guide
- Water Hub’s Digital Detox Guide– when and how to engage with trolls
- Digital Drumbeat by DemCast Substack
What next?
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