Wildfire Survivor Fights Conspiracy Theories Born of Disaster
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Books
- Three books by Mike Rothschild - The author mentions having written three books on conspiracy theories and disinformation, which form the basis of his expertise.
Articles & Papers
- "What it's like to be in the middle of a conspiracy theory (according to a conspiracy theory expert)" by Mike Rothschild (MIT Technology Review) - This is the article being narrated and discussed in the episode.
People Mentioned
- Mike Rothschild (Journalist and researcher) - Author of the article and an expert on conspiracy theories and disinformation.
- Joe Biden - Referenced in relation to conspiracy theories about him grounding firefighting planes.
- Donald Trump - Mentioned in the context of conspiracy theories surrounding his potential assassination attempt and a Trump-controlled federal government.
- Gavin Newsom - Mentioned in relation to conspiracy theories about him not turning on a water spigot due to protecting an endangered fish.
Organizations & Institutions
- MIT Technology Review - The publisher of the article and the host of the narrated story.
- Noah - The app and service that narrated the article.
- January 6th Committee - The author wrote a report for this committee.
- FEMA - Mentioned in the context of aid distribution and misinformation about rent vouchers.
- EPA - Mentioned as an agency involved in post-fire recovery.
- Small Business Administration - Mentioned as an agency involved in post-fire recovery.
- Army Corps of Engineers - Mentioned as an agency involved in post-fire recovery and engaging with residents.
- USA Today - Fact-checked claims about Biden grounding firefighting aircraft.
- Reuters - Fact-checked claims about Biden grounding firefighting aircraft.
Tools & Software
- NotebookLM - An AI-first tool for organizing ideas and making connections, mentioned by its co-founder Stephen Johnson.
Websites & Online Resources
- notebooklm.google.com - The website to try NotebookLM.
- newsoveraudio.com - A website where one can listen to articles from publishers.
- X (formerly Twitter) - Mentioned as a platform where breaking news can be drowned out by conspiracism.
- WhatsApp - Mentioned as a platform where bits of half-heard news circulated.
- Facebook - Mentioned as a platform where misinformation, like a post about FEMA vouchers, was shared.
Other Resources
- Eaton Fire - The specific wildfire event in Altadena, California, that is the central focus of the article.
- Pacific Palisades neighborhood - Mentioned as experiencing a devastating fire concurrently with the Eaton Fire.
- QAnon - Mentioned as a conspiracy theory the author has covered.
- COVID-19 - Mentioned in the context of rampant disinformation surrounding it.
- 2020 Election - Mentioned in the context of rampant disinformation surrounding it.
- Climate change - Discussed as a factor worsening wildfires and a subject of conspiracy theories.
- Climate whiplash - A term for rapid swings between wet and dry or cold and hot weather, linked to climate change.