YouTube and TikTok Failing to Combat Disinformation During Extreme Weather Events, Maldita.es Finds

Climate Misinformation Thrives One Year After Valencia Floods, Study Finds

A new investigation by Spanish fact-checking organization Fundación Maldita.es and AI Forensics has revealed the alarming persistence of climate misinformation on major social media platforms one year after devastating floods struck Valencia, Spain.

The comprehensive analysis, titled “Truth be dammed: one year after the Valencia floods, a deluge of disinformation persists,” found that videos containing false or misleading information about the DANA—the Spanish term for the severe weather phenomenon that caused the flooding—attracted substantially higher engagement than accurate content.

On YouTube, videos featuring climate misinformation garnered an average of 21,000 views—four times higher than typical content on the platform. TikTok showed even more concerning results, with such videos averaging 32,000 views. Collectively, these misleading videos accumulated at least 13 million views on YouTube and 8.3 million on TikTok, though researchers believe the actual figures are significantly higher.

The investigation also uncovered troubling patterns in user engagement. On YouTube, videos discussing misinformation were 48% more likely to receive likes and 123% more likely to generate comments compared to general DANA-related content. On TikTok, users were 85% more likely to share videos containing misinformation than other content about the floods.

Despite both platforms having policies intended to combat climate misinformation, enforcement appears inadequate. Fewer than 25% of YouTube videos containing misinformation carried any warning label, and those that did merely included a generic statement acknowledging climate change’s existence. The situation on TikTok was even worse—none of the identified climate misinformation videos featured warning labels, despite the platform’s stated policy prohibiting “misinformation that denies the existence of climate change.”

The Valencia floods of October 2023 represented one of Spain’s worst environmental disasters in recent years, causing significant loss of life and extensive property damage across the region. In such crisis situations, access to accurate information becomes critical for public safety and recovery efforts.

“This further reinforces what we have long known: Climate dis/misinformation thrives on social media platforms, fuelled by systems that want to maximize screen time, engagement, and advertising revenue,” the researchers noted in their report. “Yet platforms’ efforts to address this remain woefully inadequate.”

The findings raise serious questions about the responsibility of technology companies in controlling the spread of harmful misinformation. While YouTube has yet to adopt a specific policy addressing climate misinformation, TikTok appears to be failing to enforce its existing guidelines effectively.

The researchers emphasized that the consequences extend beyond just confusion during crisis events—such misinformation actively undermines crucial climate action by sowing doubt and polarizing public opinion on environmental issues.

The report calls for “decisive steps from platforms to address the role they play in perpetuating climate dis/misinformation” and greater transparency regarding algorithms that may amplify sensational but inaccurate content. Specifically, researchers are requesting access to data on algorithmic amplification and monetization practices, which remain largely hidden from public scrutiny.

This investigation comes amid growing global concern about the role of technology platforms in spreading misinformation across various topics, from climate change to public health and democratic processes. As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe due to climate change, the ability to access reliable information during emergencies becomes increasingly vital.

The full study has been made publicly available online, providing detailed methodology and findings for further examination by researchers, policymakers, and concerned citizens.