As extreme weather forecasts get better, warnings struggle to cut through

NBC News quotes Yotam Ophir about the difficulty in circulating warnings before natural disasters. Severe weather events have traditionally attracted misinformation and conspiracy theories, but that the modern information ecosystem now makes it easier for outlandish claims to find audiences who are often anxious for explanations, said Ophir. Now, he said, that has combined with a decline in trust in institutions like the government and mainstream media to create a challenging environment for news consumers and legitimate sources of information. “I don’t think that individuals have the tools to identify truth and deception in such complicated topics,” Ophir said. “And we need to restore trust in those that do know how to do it.”