"Foreigner Started a Fire"... False Information Spreads Following Strong Earthquake in ... - SBS뉴스
news.sbs.co.kr
After a strong earthquake, viral posts claimed foreigners started fires — showing how disasters reliably trigger false rumors targeting outsiders before facts emerge.
Scapegoat TheorySocial Identity TheoryMisinformation DiffusionOutgroup Bias
Theory Briefing
- False claims that a foreigner started fires spread rapidly on social media in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake.
- Conspiracy-style posts claiming someone "predicted the earthquake in advance" also circulated, reported by Yomiuri Shimbun.
- Disasters consistently create information vacuums that false, outgroup-blaming narratives rush to fill.
- This mirrors a documented historical pattern in Japan, where earthquake chaos has previously fueled dangerous anti-foreigner rumors.