The American authorities are struggling to convince skeptical public opinion of this Reports of mysterious flying lights New Jersey and other states need not worry, but observers say the way these officials convey that message is hampering the effort.
The government tells people not to worry, but it doesn’t give them more than that, and that’s a problem, says Philip May, co-director of the Social Media Lab at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU).
“The message (delivered) was boring, but it didn’t contain enough details,” said May, who researches the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories on social media.
He’s been following the story of the mysterious lights — which are mostly legal drones, according to officials, and sometimes other aircraft or even stars — as it has unfolded online and, eventually, in the media in recent weeks.
Speculation has flared online, with some expressing concerns that the drones could be part of a plot by foreign agents or covert operations by the US government. Some also raised the issue of UFOs.
Gangyeol Kim, an associate professor in the Department of Journalism and Media Communications at Colorado State University, agrees that the government has not been able to “clearly explain the situation.”
Kim says officials must be more transparent in how they reached these conclusions if they want to allay public fears.
“Nothing evil”
Even Joe Biden was unable to allay fears.
US President – who last year Drop order Alleged Chinese spy balloon – It was recently said that there appears to be “nothing nefarious” in the reports.
Likewise, Pentagon officials said there were no major security concerns.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby downplayed reports of “mysterious drones” over New Jersey, stating there was no reason to believe they pose a threat or have a “foreign connection.” Others, including some top Republicans, disagree and demand a full briefing.
But May said that since the outbreak of the pandemic, “people have become more distrustful” of what they hear from their governments.
Today, they are aware of the existence of drones Used to lethal effects in Ukraine And in other conflicts.
“We are all pickling or fermenting in the same information ecosystem,” he said.
This, combined with the lack of information from officials about drones, and you can see the potential for people to try to fill the loopholes themselves.
Calls for stricter rules
Amid the confusion, some lawmakers have called for stricter rules on who can fly drones, and for the authority to shoot them down.
Also this week, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily banned drone flights in 22 areas over critical infrastructure in New Jersey. The restrictions were requested by federal security agencies and will be in effect through January 17, FAA officials said.
After announcing a $1.3 billion plan to beef up security on the US border, Canadian officials offered an idea of how the money would be spent.
Meanwhile, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Washington has deployed staff and advanced technology to investigate reports in New Jersey and other states, and is evaluating every tip reported by citizens.
About 100 of the more than 5,000 sightings reported to the FBI in recent weeks have been deemed credible enough to warrant further investigation. According to a joint statement By the US Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Department of Defense.
May says some officials have pointed to the fact that some parts of government may not be coordinating adequately with their counterparts. He says it is possible that some branches are not aware of the activities of others.
Blame the government
numerous Republican voices blame the White House For lack of clarity.
“I think there’s real hysteria here, but I blame the White House,” said Rep. Zach Nunn of Iowa. He told ABC News Wednesday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson A similar note sounded“People aren’t buying answers… and we’re calling on the administration to do its job,” he told Fox News.
US President-elect Donald Trump said he believes the government knows more than it says.
But Sen. Andy Kim, a Democrat from New Jersey, says he hasn’t heard anything to support the idea that the government is hiding anything.
He says distrust of institutions plays a major role in this saga.
“Nothing I see, nothing I’ve been involved in gives me any impression of that nature. But as I understand it, some people won’t believe me, right? Because that’s the level of distrust we face,” Kim said Monday.
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