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In the aftermath of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, the ensuing debate in the press and on social media underscored terrorism's potential to intensify divisions. This study delves into the social media and press dynamics of rumors following the attack, and into the subsequent discourse on migration policies. We collected a dataset consisting of 3,184 press articles and 89,148 tweets about the Manchester Arena bombing. This research aims to identify prevalent rumors, explore the short- and long-term impacts on user engagement, analyze the sentiment in tweets related to each rumor, and examine perceptions of terrorism threats and migration policies among both the press and X (previously Twitter) users. The study found that X acted as an echo chamber for misinformation, amplifying specific rumors related to the attack, while the press exhibited fact-checking practices and provided nuanced perspectives. Notably, one rumor suggesting the attacker was a refugee gained traction over the years, reflecting an increase in anti-immigrant sentiments. Emotional responses on X ranged from neutral to heightened distress and anger, highlighting the significant impact of social media narratives on public sentiment. The research underscores the polarization of views on social media, influenced by the condensed format of tweets and the rapid production cycle, with X users expressing predominantly very negative attitudes toward immigration. This study emphasizes the critical role of the media in dispelling misinformation and fostering nuanced public understanding in complex sociopolitical contexts.

Following the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, the ensuing discussions in the media and on social platforms highlighted the potential of terrorism to deepen societal divisions. This study investigates the dynamics of rumors on social media and in the press after the attack, as well as the subsequent discourse on migration policies. We compiled a dataset comprising 3,184 press articles and 89,148 tweets pertaining to the Manchester Arena bombing. The research aims to identify prevalent rumors, assess their short- and long-term effects on user engagement, analyze the sentiment in tweets related to each rumor, and scrutinize perceptions of terrorism threats and migration policies among both the press and Twitter users. The findings reveal that Twitter acted as an echo chamber for misinformation, amplifying specific rumors related to the attack, while the press demonstrated fact-checking practices and offered nuanced perspectives. Notably, one rumor suggesting the attacker was a refugee gained traction over time, reflecting a surge in anti-immigrant sentiments. Emotional responses on Twitter varied from a neutral tone to heightened distress and anger, underscoring the significant impact of social media narratives on public sentiment. The research highlights the polarization of views on social media, influenced by the concise format of tweets and the rapid production cycle, with Twitter users predominantly expressing very negative attitudes toward immigration. This study emphasizes the crucial role of the media in dispelling misinformation and cultivating a nuanced public understanding in complex socio-political contexts.

In water vapor-sensitive satellite imagery, small-scale wave-like perturbations of brightness temperature can be attributed to the presence of trapped internal waves in the troposphere. We present a method for detecting these local perturbations with wavelengths of about 10 km and apply it to imagery from the Advanced Baseline Imager on board the geostationary satellite GOES-16. The algorithm allows us to analyze 4 years of sub-hourly data in the southern part of the tropical eastern Pacific, where only a relatively low amount of medium and high clouds obscures the scene. By combining a measure of wave activity/trapping with ERA5 reanalysis data, we connect the occurrence of trapping with the presence of an increased upper-tropospheric wind shear. This connection is more evident during December, January and February, when upper-tropospheric jets are more likely. Our work supports existing case and model studies and is a step forward in the statistical and automated analysis of trapped small-scale internal waves in the atmosphere.

The Internet as a common good implies the absence of any restrictions, closures, and blockages with censorship being unacceptable in democratic societies. However, it can lead to the uncontrolled growth and spread of disinformation and misinformation, which can have negative effects on democratic processes, on emergency management, and on human rights. While part of society sees the Internet as the last free space and considers the restriction of the Internet an infringement of citizens’ rights to freedom of communication and information, another part of society advocates at least reasonable censorship of the Internet. Parallel to this is the question of who will be behind the censorship – will it be the government, private companies, platforms, or search engines, and what will be the rules and algorithms of censorship. As part of its participation in the CORE project (sCience&human factOr for Resilient sociEty), IIASA held an online consultation with project participants to discuss the topic of “Internet as a free space and methods for combating the spread of disinformation and misinformation” and to prepare key principles and commitments as a contribution to the Global Digital Compact. This report provides a comprehensive overview of the key points raised by the participants in the consultation process

Misinformation is not a new phenomenon but, through social media, has gained new dynamics such as the rapidity of spread around the world within a few seconds. Past events have shown that misinformation can worsen the response to an emergency by leading to inappropriate behaviours, triggering fear and anxiety, or reducing the credibility of the measures by official actors. To better understand the dynamics of misinformation on social media or in the press and its effects on people’s beliefs and behaviour, we defined six case studies addressing different hazards and time periods. This allowed us to derive recommendations to prevent and fight the spread of and belief in misinformation along the entire communication chain - source, message, channel, receiver, effect, and feedback. Three of our key results are that: i) official actors should provide information on a regular basis to build credibility and trust, which will allow them to effectively communicate and counter misinformation during emergencies when people are under stressful conditions; ii) fragmented information on social media should be counterbalanced through external links to richer sources, where people can inform themselves about the broader context and details; and iii) the cultural context and ideological debates must be considered to address anchored beliefs and biases when developing strategies to prevent and fight misinformation.