Climate Change Denial on Facebook: Top 10 Sources
The Concentration of Climate Change Misinformation
A significant portion of climate change misinformation originates from a limited number of sources. This conclusion stems from a recent report released by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH).
The CCDH’s research indicates that just ten publishers account for 69 percent of all engagement with content denying or downplaying climate change on Facebook.
Identifying the “Toxic Ten”
These publishers, collectively labeled “The Toxic Ten” by the CCDH, include prominent entities such as Breitbart, Russia Today, and the Media Research Center. The latter organization maintains connections to the fossil fuel industry.
This discovery echoes a prior CCDH report from earlier in the year. That study revealed that 73 percent of vaccine misinformation circulating on Facebook could be traced back to only twelve individuals, termed the “disinformation dozen.”
Impact and Calls for Action
The earlier study has garnered substantial attention from US lawmakers. They have urged social media platforms to enhance their efforts in addressing the “urgent threat” that misinformation poses to public health.
Imran Ahmed, CEO of the CCDH, explained in an interview with The Washington Post that the organization analyzed approximately 7,000 articles published between October 2020 and October 2021.
He characterized the sample size as “robust,” asserting that it provided sufficient data “to derive representative findings of trends.”
Financial Incentives and Google’s Response
The report also investigated the financial motivations behind the dissemination of climate change denial content.
The CCDH estimates that eight companies within the Toxic Ten generated $5.3 million in Google ad revenue over the past six months, with $1.7 million ultimately reaching Google itself.
Google responded to these findings with a statement to Engadget. A spokesperson announced a new policy explicitly prohibiting the monetization of content promoting climate change denial.
This policy is scheduled to take effect on November 8, and enforcement will include removing ads from individual pages containing violating content.
The Interplay of Industries
Ahmed emphasized the interconnectedness of the issue, stating to The Post, “When you put it all together, you’ve got these two industries, Big Oil and Big Tech, and they are the two industries that pose the greatest threat to the survival of our species.”
Context of COP26
The release of The Toxic Ten report coincides with the UN’s COP26 climate summit in Scotland.
This summit has been described as “the world’s last best chance” to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
Current projections indicate a potentially “catastrophic” 2.7 degree Celsius rise in global temperatures if dramatic reductions are not achieved.
Exceeding the 1.5-degree target established by the Paris Agreement increases the risk of triggering climate tipping points, potentially leading to even more severe climatic changes.
Note: This article was originally published on Engadget.
