If you’ve ever opened your phone, scrolled through social media, and felt like you were drinking from a firehose, you’re not alone. That’s exactly how disinformation spreads: in overwhelming waves, at high speed, and designed to flood our feeds before the truth has a chance to catch up.
Disinformation isn’t just about lies—it’s about power. Those who spread it know that repetition, outrage, and emotional triggers can move people faster than facts. They count on us to react first and verify later.
The Firehose Effect
The strategy is simple: overwhelm the system. Push dozens of false or misleading claims at once, so fact-checkers and journalists can’t keep up. Even if a claim is debunked, it lingers in people’s minds, making the damage harder to undo.
Common Tactics to Watch For
Out-of-context images and videos – A clip from one event repurposed to mislead about another.
Memes – Quick, emotional, and often shared without thought.
Bots and fake accounts – Amplifying the same message to make it look popular or credible.
Deepfakes and manipulated content – Harder to spot, but increasingly common.
Why We Fall For It
Humans are wired for shortcuts. We trust information that confirms what we already believe. We’re more likely to share things that make us feel anger or amusement. And in a world that moves at lightning speed, stopping to verify can feel like a luxury.
Becoming a Filter
The good news: each of us can push back. Think of yourself as a filter against the firehose. Some simple steps:
Pause before you post – Ask: does this feel too perfect, too outrageous, too convenient?
Check the source – Is it from a credible outlet? If not, is anyone reliable reporting it?
Reverse image search – A few seconds can reveal if that viral photo is actually from 2012.
Boost truth, not just debunking – Sharing accurate information spreads credibility.
Collective Defense
One person fact-checking matters. But when communities coordinate, truth has a fighting chance. Grassroots networks, civic groups, and even everyday group chats can help slow the spread of lies and lift up credible information. Think of it as digital neighborhood watch—everyone keeping an eye out.
Hope, Not Helplessness
It’s easy to feel like the firehose of disinformation is unstoppable. But filters work. Even if you only reach your own circles, you’re cutting off oxygen to falsehoods. And when enough of us take small steps, the impact is powerful.
The fight against disinformation isn’t about having the loudest voice. It’s about building trust, slowing the flood, and making truth louder than lies. And that starts with us—one post, one share, one pause at a time.
Need more help, we got you!
BlueVote has been helping people navigate the disinformation landscape since February 2025 with our anti-disinformation workshop and now we have introduced a second workshop on disinformation and combating it on social media with Decode The Feed. It meets every other Saturday at 4PM Eastern via Zoom and it follows our widely popular Too Much Disinformation class.
✊ This is the way.