Nearly half of Hurricane Melissa social posts contained ‘hype’, study finds
Exaggerated damage claims received higher engagement than factual updates
Published:Friday | January 30, 2026 | 12:07 AMLuke Douglas - Gleaner Writer
Nearly half of surveyed social media posts about Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica contained exaggerated, unverified or misleading information, according to a study that examined 1,200 posts during the storm’s passage.
It raises questions about the reliability of social platforms during emergencies.
The study conducted by Dr Paul Bourne, adjunct Professor at Northern Caribbean University, concluded that posts with exaggerated damage and false reports of casualties, or “hype posts”, received higher engagement than factual updates.
The findings come as social media influencers seek to grow their earning power, even as their content can prove less reliable than traditional news outlets. The Category 5 hurricane hit the island last October with winds at 185 miles per hour in western Jamaica.
Dr Bourne’s study, titled ‘Social Media Use in Jamaica: Truth or Hype during Hurricane Melissa’, examined accuracy, impact and user behaviour on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp. Researchers collected data from 512 social media users through surveys and analysed 1,200 posts between October 28 and 31, when the Category 5 hurricane struck the island.
The breakdown
The research found that 53.5 per cent of posts provided verified information aligned with official sources, while 23.8 per cent were unverified claims based on observations or hearsay. Another 16.5 per cent constituted misinformation — false but not intentional — and 6.2 per cent were disinformation, or deliberately misleading content.
Posts that exaggerated damage levels, falsely reported casualties or recycled old videos from previous weather events received higher engagement than factual updates, the study found.
Nearly half
Overall, about 47 per cent of all posts contained exaggerated, unverified or misleading information.
“These patterns show that while credible content dominated, misinformation and hype still played a notable role in shaping online narratives,” Dr Bourne stated in his summary. “Overall, the accuracy landscape was mixed, requiring scrutiny from users seeking reliable updates.”
The study identified several challenges: Emotional, dramatic posts spread faster than factual ones; official updates often lagged behind viral misinformation; WhatsApp’s closed-group structure amplified unverified content; and citizens struggled to distinguish between authoritative and unofficial sources.
Key recommendation
Dr Bourne recommended establishing a National Crisis Communication Digital Command Centre to provide real-time updates during hurricanes. He also suggested implementing a mandatory digital literacy curriculum to combat misinformation.
“I think both ministries should partner in developing that curriculum, because social media is a mental health matter, as well as an educational one,” he said, referring to the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education.
The financial incentives for influencers contribute to the problem. A 2023 research report by the state-led Planning Institute of Jamaica showed that social media influencers can earn between $150,000 to $5,000,000 per post. That’s because platforms like YouTube will pay the equivalent of J$1.00 per view.
Dr Bourne said this desire to maximise earnings pushed some influencers to exaggerate claims about damage or deaths during events such as hurricanes. Some capitalised on the weather event to highlight happenings in their personal lives and gain more followers, he noted.
“It is clear to me that social media is using them as much as they are using social media,” the researcher said. “They are playing into social media’s hands.”