Mis- and disinformation are spreading in the wake of the immigration-related protests and escalating law enforcement and military response in Los Angeles. The demonstrations have broken out in several specific places across the metropolitan area. Law enforcement deployed tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters outside of detention facilities.
Misinformation—false claims spread unintentionally—and disinformation—false claims spread with the intention of deceiving and manipulating—affect us all. This is particularly the case in moments of heightened emotion and tension, during which events on the ground may be evolving quickly, many people are getting their news from social media, and the information landscape is murky. Even government officials have been guilty of advancing conspiracy theories on their own social media platforms, making the information environment even more difficult to navigate. Disinformation also has been amplified by state actors from Russia and China.
Here are just a few examples of the disinformation circulating:
- The extent of the protests across the vast Los Angeles region: Many narratives have gained traction online that the entire city is engulfed in the chaos of the protests. In reality, L.A. is an extremely large urban area, and protests have only occurred in comparatively small areas of the region.
- Homeland Security claims: Claims have been spread on social media and from the Department of Homeland Security about Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, falsely reporting that she encouraged and incited demonstrations against ICE raids. Sheinbaum countered by denouncing the rumors as “absolutely false” and reposted her original statements, in which she urged Mexican-Americans to act peacefully. Similarly, a viral post on X spread the lie that Mexico was considering intervening militarily in the L.A. protests, stoking tensions further.
- Police cars on fire: Images of police cars aflame have circulated widely on X over the weekend, adding to the narrative of chaos and destruction. The images, however, are not from the anti-ICE protests, and are actually from protests in LA from 2020.
- Pile of Bricks: An image of a pile of bricks has been amplified on X, claiming that the bricks were intentionally stockpiled by “Democrat militants” and “Soros funded organizations” near ICE facilities to be used against ICE agents in the protests. In reality, the photo was posted on the website of a building materials wholesaler in Malaysia, and has nothing to do with the protests. The same conspiracy of a pile of bricks has been used in previous protests.
The friction between officers and demonstrators was used as a pretext by President Donald Trump to send in Marines and soldiers from the National Guard. By amplifying misleading information—such as describing protests as violent or foreign-influenced uprisings—the administration can frame the protests as existential threats, creating a pretext for extraordinary responses like military deployment.
Below are tips on how to minimize the spread of misleading information and outright disinformation related to the protests:
1. Recognizing and combating mis- and disinformation can begin with the most simple action: Take a beat and question your reaction to what you see online.
We are more likely to believe information that confirms our existing biases. This is part of why mis- and disinformation spread so quickly—we often latch onto signals of urgency and emotional appeals that resonate with our belief systems. Take a beat and question what you see before you share a claim, especially if it has caused you to have an emotional reaction. Confirmation bias can lead us toward overly simplistic thinking, flattening nuance. Repeated exposure to false claims can make them seem more credible than they really are (the “illusory truth effect”). Be open to learning, to being surprised, and for the situation to continue to change. If you’re having a “this is exactly as I expected” response, you may be missing something.
2. Photos and videos may be altered or taken out of context. Check the sources before you share.
Not all videos and images shared on social media platforms purporting to depict the current protests are legitimate. Some are miscaptioned, misidentified, Photoshopped, cropped, or drawn from different protests elsewhere in the world and even years prior. Before sharing these images, consider the source. You can run a reverse image search using TinEye or Google to learn more about the image’s origin, or do a quick search to see if the image or video is available from someone who was an eyewitness or can confirm its authenticity. Reputable news organizations and even fact-checking organizations have tools and processes in place to authenticate video. Consult the Verification Handbook for more detailed guidance on spotting mis- and disinformation during breaking news events.
3. Keep an eye out for unverified news sites or accounts that promote false headlines.
Do you know your news source? One common disinformation tactic is the creation of false news sites, which often have believable names and masquerade as reputable local outlets. These are often referred to as “pink slime” news sites. Maybe it’s called The Local Gazette or Chesapeake Bay Times, something vague but not entirely unexpected; you might come across their stories and take them as credible. But bad actors intentionally invoke the look and feel of a legitimate news outlet to elevate conspiracies and falsehoods. This is particularly dangerous, given the spread of generative AI, making it easier to create fraudulent platforms, fake photos, videos, audio, and text that look credible and convincing.
Whether it is a site pretending to be a real outlet or a blog that seems to be sharing credible information, verify the sources of your news before sharing. Fact-checking sites like FactCheck.org, PolitiFact.com, or BBC Verify can help. And it’s best not to rely on a single source, if possible. Practice lateral reading by searching for articles on the same topic by various writers. Spreading content from unreliable sources also risks propagating falsehoods about the subjects of that reporting, which can put those individuals at personal risk of online or offline harassment.
4. Consider the role of press access and censorship in shaping the flow of information.
Reporting on the ground during the protests has become increasingly difficult, with reports of police detailing and clearing the press from areas of protest, preventing them from accessing contentious areas. CNN reporter Kyung Lah and members of her crew were told by LAPD “they needed to leave the area” in which they were reporting. A second CNN reporter, Jason Carroll, was briefly detained as police cleared an area of protest where reporters were present. In a video of the incident, an officer told Carroll he and his crew would be arrested if they returned to the area. In another example, an Australian reporter with Nine News was shot by a rubber bullet in Los Angeles while conducting on-the-ground reporting, while a reporter with CNN was detained by police.
Consider following a range of coverage offered by those reporting from close to events, including reputable local outlets and those with robust reputations for fact-checking. Reading more than one credible source, particularly if including one that may be outside of your usual news diet, can help to ensure you get details of fast-moving events that are accurate.
5. Take control of your digital experience.
Regularly conduct scans of how and where you consume information. Are you relying exclusively on social media echo chambers or are you regularly checking directly with some diverse and generally reliable local and national news outlets? Information from social media may offer valuable firsthand accounts from participants on the front lines, but disinformation can spread rapidly on social media where, among other things, algorithms tend to amplify the most incendiary content. Those intent on stoking divisions may spread inflammatory falsehoods in a moment of heightened tensions and emotions. Even in the best cases, such content may be subjective and lack context, may be posted quickly and without fact-checking, and may show only one small part of a larger event. While you may find institutional sources useful, such as government communications channels, consider also that the information they share may reflect only the outlook of the institution. Whenever possible, seek out information sources that cover multiple viewpoints on an event and seek out multiple credible sources to triangulate information that may be changing quickly—and encourage family and friends to do the same!
Regardless of whether you agree with the perceived political leaning of protesters, in determining which stories to share, consider whose voices might be absent from the conversation or how the conflict may be affecting what information is available.
6. Be a resource for your community!
An overwhelming majority of Americans believe that the most trustworthy sources of information are their friends and family. You are the best defense that your community has against the spread of disinformation. Offer corrections when relevant, and boost accurate information to those in your network. It can be tricky to do this when your friends and family might be sharing false information themselves.
PEN America has a guidebook to guide you through the process of consuming a broader news diet and intervening with family and friends: PEN America’s Trusted Messenger Guidebook.
You can find more resources from PEN America on combating disinformation on our issue page.
Final thoughts
Disinformation during the protests has made the distinction between truth and fabrication difficult to determine. A particularly disturbing element of the protests has been the use of force against reporters, with several journalists reporting on the protests suffering injuries through law enforcement’s use of rubber bullets and tear gas.
PEN America joined 28 other press freedom and media organizations in signing a letter, led by the First Amendment Coalition, Freedom of the Press Foundation, and Los Angeles Press Club, condemning attacks on journalists covering immigration protests in the Los Angeles area. The attacks on journalists are happening as disinformation poses a fundamental threat to free expression and democracy—one that is increasingly disrupting the practice of journalism. Journalists are fulfilling a vital public duty by documenting events and keeping the public informed. Reporting the news is not a crime, but a core function of a free and democratic society.
