Torres et al. (2025) Desinformación y catástrofes naturales. El caso de la Dana de Valencia en 2024

Identification

• Journal: adComunica revista científica de estrategias tendencias e innovación en comunicación
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-07-31
• Authors: Mabel Torres, Raúl Magallón Rosa, Francisco Manuel Pastor Marín
• DOI: 10.6035/adcomunica.9015

Research Groups

• Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), Spain
• Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR), Spain
• Grupo de investigación Comunicación, Políticas y Ciudadanía (UC3M)
• Iberifier, Observatorio de medios digitales en España y Portugal

Short Summary

This study analyzes disinformation surrounding the 2024 DANA floods in Valencia, Spain, revealing that false narratives peaked immediately after the catastrophe, primarily spread via social media by influential accounts, targeting institutional management and fostering mistrust and polarization. The research highlights the critical need for media literacy and coordinated responses from authorities and platforms to counter such disinformation during emergencies.

Objective

• To analyze disinformation related to the DANA (Isolated Depression at High Levels) in Spain in October 2024.
• To study the temporal evolution of disinformation narratives in the 20 days following the event.
• To analyze the role of influential actors and content creators on social networks in the dissemination of hoaxes about the DANA.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Spain, specifically the Valencia region and other eastern territories (e.g., Albacete) affected by the DANA.
• Temporal Scale: 29 October 2024 (date of the catastrophe) to 17 November 2024 (20 days).

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Quantitative content analysis, adapting categories from Wardle (2017) and a Maldita (2024a) report. Data processing was performed using SPSS statistical software.
• Data sources: 148 verifications published by four major Spanish fact-checking organizations: Newtral, Verificat, Efe Verifica, and Maldita.

Main Results

• Disinformation activity was most intense in the immediate aftermath of the catastrophe, with 68.2% of hoaxes generated in the first 10 days and approximately one-third in the first three days.
• Social media was the primary channel for disinformation propagation (86% of cases), with X (formerly Twitter) being the most prominent platform (84 hoaxes), followed by Facebook (43) and TikTok (22).
• Video (35.4%) and text (25.9%) were the most frequently used formats for spreading hoaxes.
• Nearly 90% of disinformation targeted institutions, with the central government and its subordinate entities (e.g., AEMET, CHJ) and the Valencian autonomous government being the main subjects.
• The dominant narratives (38.5%) questioned governmental and institutional management, followed by exaggerating the number of dead and missing (29.1%), and climate disinformation (12.2%).
• The primary intention behind the disinformation was to provoke indignation (73.6%) and exert political influence (17.6%).
• Influential social media accounts (journalists, politicians, influencers) were responsible for sharing 17.6% of the identified hoaxes, predominantly on X (80.8%) using video (40%) and multimedia (32%) formats.
• Public institutions (Valencian Generalitat, Central Government, Civil Protection, Firefighters, Civil Guard, Police) were crucial sources for refuting hoaxes, alongside visual/testimonial evidence and traditional media.

Contributions

• Provides a detailed analysis of disinformation patterns during a specific natural disaster (2024 DANA in Valencia), serving as a paradigmatic case study for Spain.
• Identifies the temporal evolution, preferred platforms, formats, and dominant narratives of disinformation in a crisis context.
• Highlights the significant role of influential social media actors (influencers, journalists, politicians) in amplifying false content.
• Emphasizes the critical need for enhanced media literacy and improved coordination among digital platforms, news organizations, and public authorities to effectively combat disinformation during emergencies.
• Contributes to the understanding of the interplay between risk communication and the risks of miscommunication in public disaster management.

Funding

• IBERIFIER Plus project, co-funded by the European Commission under the DIGITAL-2023-DEPLOY-04 call, European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) – National and multinational hubs. Reference: IBERIFIER Plus - 101158511.

Citation

@article{Torres2025Desinformación,
  author = {Torres, Mabel and Rosa, Raúl Magallón and Marín, Francisco Manuel Pastor},
  title = {Desinformación y catástrofes naturales. El caso de la Dana de Valencia en 2024},
  journal = {adComunica revista científica de estrategias tendencias e innovación en comunicación},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.6035/adcomunica.9015},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.6035/adcomunica.9015}
}