Reneé DiResta, a digital scholar and former Stanford Internet Observatory researcher, explores how a false Facebook post about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, escalated into a widespread misinformation campaign that reached the presidential debate stage and incited real-world threats. She examines how social media amplifies unverified rumors, creating a dangerous feedback loop that distorts public perception and political narratives. DiResta warns that this “rumor mill” threatens democracy and calls for greater responsibility in promoting truth and accountability in the information age.
