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On TikTok, misinformation about Hurricane Helene has spurred calls for violence against FEMA personnel

Some users have suggested “revolution” and “civil war” in response to false claims about FEMA's response Published Update (10/10/24): After publication, TikTok removed the videos flagged in this reporting. In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastation in the southeastern U.S., misinformation and conspiracy theories have stirred up calls for violence and mass mobilization against Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel on TikTok, in posts which have garnered millions of views.

In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastation in the southeastern U.S., misinformation and conspiracy theories have stirred up calls for violence and mass mobilization against Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel on TikTok, in posts which have garnered millions of views. Misinformation about the response to Helene — ranging from accusations that FEMA is failing to mobilize resources to hard-hit areas to conspiracytheories that the government controls the weather — has surged across social media platforms in the past several weeks, including on TikTok. Media Matters also identified several videos promoting an unverified claim that a FEMA agent “got a whopping” from local residents for “acting arrogant” and denying aid to North Carolina hurricane victims.

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