How do misinformation campaigns spread so quickly online during crises?

Misinformation spreads quickly online during crises because people want to know what’s happening and share it with others.

Imagine you're playing a game of telephone, but instead of just one person whispering in your ear, thousands of people are shouting at the same time. That's like how misinformation works on the internet. When something big happens, like a fire, an earthquake, or even a virus, people start looking for answers online.

When someone sees a message that sounds exciting or scary, they might share it with their friends. Those friends do the same thing, and pretty soon, the message is everywhere. It’s like when you drop a pebble in a pond, and ripples go out in all directions. The more people who see the message, the faster it spreads.

Sometimes, the message isn’t even true, but that doesn't stop it from flying around. People believe it because they want to feel safe or know what's going on. And just like how you might tell your friend a story about something amazing that happened at school, people online are telling stories too, some real, some not so much.

That’s why fake news can be hard to stop once it starts moving!