FACT Aotearoa News Briefs 20 July 2026

Baseless 'weather warfare' claims spread as deadly heat strikes multiple continents - AFP Fact Check
As record-breaking heat killed thousands of people in North America and Europe in June and July, social media posts claimed weather manipulation by the High-frequency Active Aural Research Program (HAARP) in Alaska was to blame. The research center is the focus of frequent conspiracy theories that purport its radio transmissions can control the weather, but scientists said HAARP signals cannot manipulate or trigger heatwaves which are being supercharged by human emissions.
https://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.B9FC3KE

From Salt Water to Horse Urine: The Dangerous History of Fake Disease Cures - BrandIconImage
Whenever deadly disease outbreaks occur, fear often spreads almost as quickly as the infections themselves. In many cases, panic drives people to embrace bizarre and unproven remedies that promise protection or healing, despite lacking any scientific evidence. From drinking excessive quantities of salt water during the Ebola outbreak to consuming horse urine and cow dung during the COVID-19 pandemic, history has repeatedly demonstrated how misinformation can become a public health threat of its own.
https://www.brandiconimage.com/2026/06/from-salt-water-to-horse-urine.html

Disinformation is now a top public health priority - Society for Public Health Education
A radically changed media landscape has made bad health information an existential threat to public well-being. It is no longer enough to treat disinformation as a side note to health. Disinformation is now a primary determinant of health.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/122132

Why do free speech debates make us so angry? - The Guardian
Free speech debates seem to be about abstract principles and rules: what should be allowed? ... Notice how such debates are rife with caricatures of “types” of people: snowflakes, trolls, cancel-culture warriors, edgelords, bigots, crybullies, incels and so on. What’s really driving these debates is a set of implicit judgments about character: what kind of person wants to regulate another person’s speech? What kind of person doesn’t care about the effects their words have on others?
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/jul/12/why-do-free-speech-debates-make-us-so-angry

The psychology of viral disinformation: Decoding the rhetorical package of hate - Newtral
What causes misinformation to turn into a social firestorm? For the first time, a multidisciplinary team of journalists and scientists has moved beyond simply examining “what” is being said to analyse “how” our minds process it when we receive it.
https://www.newtral.es/psychology-disinformation-torre-pacheco/20260714/

The United States of Disbelief - The Atlantic
You know that conspiracy theories have gotten out of hand when even Donald Trump thinks so. Conspiracy theories regarding political figures are proliferating within the US, reflecting a broader decline in institutional trust.
https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/2026/07/conspiracy-theories-lindsey-graham-mitch-mcconnell/687928/