By Natasha Bulowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer Wildfire season is here and if the last few years are any indication, Canadians will spend the summer sorting through a firestorm of disinformation. People searching for good information in times of crisis are up against a slew of broken systems. Social media algorithms promote misinformation and disinformation and bury official sources. Governments at different levels struggle to coordinate information release as quickly as rumours spread. Not every community has local news and there are fewer reporters and more news deserts. Imperfect information systems and the inherent chaos of a crisis allow well-intentioned but false information to spread, like people making false statements and observations about fire behaviour and what buildings have been destroyed. People\u2019s thirst for information during a… <\/p>\n
By Natasha Bulowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Canada’s National Observer Wildfire season is here and if the last few years are any indication, Canadians will spend the summer sorting through a firestorm of disinformation. People searching for good information in times of crisis are up against a slew of broken systems. Social media algorithms promote misinformation and disinformation and bury official sources. Governments at different levels struggle to coordinate information release as quickly as rumours spread. Not every community has local news and there are fewer reporters and more news deserts. Imperfect information systems and the inherent chaos of a crisis allow well-intentioned but false information to spread, like people making false statements and observations about fire behaviour and what buildings have been destroyed. People\u2019s thirst for information during a... <\/p>\n