The full document in English can be consulted here
Fundación Maldita.es has published a report that assesses the response of TikTok, X/Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, LinkedIn and Telegram to the disinformation crisis that followed the catastrophic floods in the province of Valencia and other regions of eastern Spain on 29 October 2024.
Disinformation narratives and conspiracy theories emerged in a coordinated manner during the seven days following the emergency, fuelling and amplifying public frustration and anger at a time when high-quality information is crucial. The main narratives identified were related to:
- Discrediting of public institutions
- Climate disinformation
- Demolition of dams and reservoirs
- Safety in the affected area
In coordination with the European Fact-checking Standards Network (EFCSN), it was possible to detect different formats and versions of these narratives in several languages, thus reaching thousands of impressions.
The platforms did not deploy relevant and specific actions that they have reported in the past for similar crises, such as information panels with authoritative sources. Other mitigation measures, such as labels, changes to recommendation systems or Community Notes, did not manage to efficiently deal with the enormous flow of disinformation.
Both the Digital Services Act and the Code of Practice on Disinformation provide for crisis response mechanisms or measures that were not adequately implemented on this occasion. Fundación Maldita.es calls for better coordination between the European Commission, the regional government and the relevant online platforms to reduce the impact of disinformation during crises, as illustrated by the evidence collected.
The full report in English can be consulted here.