Today, Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) led members of the North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida delegations in urging the House Judiciary, Oversight, and Energy & Commerce Committees to investigate and hold hearings on the role of social media platforms in the spread of misinformation following Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Representatives Kathy Castor (FL-14), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Kathy Manning (NC-06), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), and Wiley Nickel (NC-13) joined the letter.

In North Carolina, misinformation has seriously impeded Hurricane Helene disaster relief. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director Deanne Criswell called the level of misinformation: “the worst [she’s] ever seen.” Former President Donald Trump himself has spread harmful lies and outrageous rumors.

“A series of widely circulated posts on Facebook and X falsely claimed that FEMA was offering a new grant for immediate cash assistance to all residents, regardless of impact, resulting in a flood of applications to non-existent programs.  These scams took advantage of families who were already in distress, further delaying their ability to access legitimate aid,” the lawmakers wrote. “Similarly, on Instagram, TikTok, and Discord, conspiracy theories have spread claiming that both storms are the result of government actions.  It is gravely concerning to witness these behaviors now escalating into harassment, death threats, and calls for violence against government officials, meteorologists, and aid workers. One post on TikTok stated that FEMA employees should be ‘arrested or shot or hung on sight.’”

The lawmakers continued, “Misinformation not only delays the recovery process but also erodes public trust in institutions that are essential to helping our states to rebuild. It is critical that the American people know where to turn for reliable information during these emergencies, and social media platforms play a significant role in shaping those sources of information.”

Specifically, the lawmakers are urging the committees to investigate:

• The failure of social media companies to adequately address misinformation;
• The role of algorithms in amplifying misinformation and scams;
• The impact of misinformation on public trust and disaster recovery; and
• Failures to protect against scams and frauds.

Full text of the letter is available here.

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