Disinformation during emergencies (DiE) can critically undermine government efforts to mitigate socioeconomic harm and damage the relationship between the state and citizens. With the production of nuclear power growing in multiple countries and widespread concern over generative-AI-fueled disinformation online, we are researching the impact of DiE on transnational nuclear emergency responses. Over the next few weeks, this blog post series will lay out our ongoing research from conceptualization to data analysis and policy recommendations, and we invite your observations and feedback in the comments on any part.
Research design
Successful DiE threat assessment and building an effective response requires access to and researching large digital media datasets and actual case studies. However, the extent to which generative AI technology is used in online disinformation is uncertain, and nuclear emergencies are relatively rare events. Given this, we examine two nuclear emergency cases during a period of rapid development of online content moderation governance and growing awareness of state influence operations and disinformation, including: 1) the natural disaster caused Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) nuclear emergency, and 2) the man-made occupation by Russian forces of the Zaporozhzhian Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) in Ukraine.
Both cases fall under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) definition of a nuclear emergency, which is a non-routine situation or event that requires prompt action to mitigate a hazard and adverse consequences to human life, health, property, and the environment. Both cases highlight the disruptive power of disinformation on emergency communication efforts. We monitored Western and indigenous social media p ..
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