LOS ANGELES – California Governor Gavin Newsom has accused tech mogul Elon Musk of spreading misinformation about the state’s handling of devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, intensifying a public dispute as social media platforms amplify false narratives about the disaster.
Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and owner of the platform X (formerly Twitter), claimed in a post that poor governance led to water shortages exacerbating the fires, a statement that Newsom labeled as deceptive.
Water Mismanagement Debate
Musk’s assertion that “bad governance” caused water shortages impacting firefighting efforts drew a direct rebuttal from Newsom. He shared a video where a firefighter explained that there were sufficient water reserves, supplemented by trucks to fight large-scale fires, undermining Musk’s claims.
Looting Allegations
A separate controversy erupted when Musk amplified a post falsely claiming that looting had been decriminalized under California law. Newsom refuted the claim, stating, “Looting remains illegal and perpetrators will be prosecuted.”
Viral Misinformation
The wildfire crisis has fueled misinformation on social media, with researchers pointing to platforms like X and Facebook for hosting misleading narratives:
- Musk posted that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies contributed to ineffective firefighting, writing, “DEI means people will DIE.”
- A debunked viral video wrongly suggested firefighters were using women’s handbags to douse flames, later clarified as canvas water bags designed for small fires.
Musk also agreed with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’s baseless claim that the fires were part of a “globalist plot.”
Policy Changes and Risks
Meta’s decision to abandon third-party fact-checking in favor of crowd-sourced moderation has drawn widespread criticism. Experts warn this shift, occurring just before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, could flood platforms with unchecked misinformation.
Newsom emphasized the need for responsible communication from influential figures, warning against the dangers of politicizing natural disasters amid ongoing efforts to combat misinformation.