Featured Post from University of Connecticut

UConn Expert, 10 Years after Sandy Hook, on the Lies that 'Plague the U.S.'

Dec 13, 2022

2 min

Amanda J. Crawford

UConn professor and journalist Amanda J. Crawford considers the misinformation that spread like wildfire after tragic school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School to be "the first major conspiracy theory of the modern social media age." 


Ten years after 26 young students and school staff were killed in the massacre, the impact of that day in 2012 continues to reverberate in America today.



On this solemn anniversary, Crawford writes about the aftermath of Sandy Hook misinformation in a new essay for The Conversation:

 

Conspiracy theories are powerful forces in the U.S. They have damaged public health amid a global pandemic, shaken faith in the democratic process and helped spark a violent assault on the U.S. Capitol in January 2021.

These conspiracy theories are part of a dangerous misinformation crisis that has been building for years in the U.S.

While American politics has long had a paranoid streak, and belief in conspiracy theories is nothing new, outlandish conspiracy theories born on social media now regularly achieve mainstream acceptance and are echoed by people in power.

Recently, one of the most popular American conspiracy theorists faced consequences in court for his part in spreading viral lies. Right-wing radio host Alex Jones and his company, Infowars, were ordered by juries in Connecticut and Texas to pay nearly $1.5 billion in damages to relatives of victims killed in a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School a decade ago. Jones had falsely claimed that the shooting was a hoax.

As a journalism professor at the University of Connecticut, I have studied the misinformation that surrounded the mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, on Dec. 14, 2012 – including Jones’ role in spreading it to his audience of millions. I consider it the first major conspiracy theory of the modern social media age, and I believe we can trace our current predicament to the tragedy’s aftermath.

Ten years ago, the Sandy Hook shooting demonstrated how fringe ideas could quickly become mainstream on social media and win support from various establishment figures – even when the conspiracy theory targeted grieving families of young students and school staff killed during the massacre.

Those who claimed the tragedy was a hoax showed up in Newtown and harassed people connected to the shooting. This provided an early example of how misinformation spread on social media could cause real-world harm.



Amanda J. Crawford is a veteran political reporter, literary journalist, and expert in journalism ethics, misinformation, conspiracy theories, and the First Amendment. Click on her icon now to arrange an interview with her today.


Connect with:
Amanda J. Crawford

Amanda J. Crawford

Assistant Professor

Professor Crawford is a veteran political reporter, literary journalist, and expert in journalism ethics and misinformation.

Literary JournalismMediaNews LiteracyMisinformationJournalism Ethics
Powered by

You might also like...

Check out some other posts from University of Connecticut

Tick Population Surge Raises New Lyme Disease Concerns featured image

2 min

Tick Population Surge Raises New Lyme Disease Concerns

A surge in tick activity across Connecticut is renewing concerns about Lyme disease, prompting experts to examine the environmental factors driving tick populations, the challenges of prevention, and the future role of vaccines. Recently reported by CT Community News and CTNewsJunkie, researchers are seeing unusually high numbers of ticks infected with the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, with infection rates reaching levels typically not observed until peak season. Experts point to a combination of environmental conditions, including a snowy winter that insulated overwintering ticks, milder seasonal temperatures, and continued residential expansion into wooded areas where ticks thrive. According to Dr. David Banach, an infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist at UConn Health, the increase in Lyme disease cases is influenced by multiple factors. While improved reporting may account for some of the rise, environmental conditions continue to play a significant role in the number of infections seen by clinicians each year. “Lyme disease is chronically underreported.” Dr. David Banach Dr. David Banach is an infectious diseases physician who leads UConn Health's Infection Prevention Program and serves as hospital epidemiologist. View his profile The article also explores ongoing efforts to develop new Lyme disease vaccines. Dr. Paulo Verardi, head of UConn's Department of Virology and Vaccinology, notes that vaccines could become an important tool in reducing disease risk, but cautions that vaccination alone will not solve the broader challenge posed by expanding tick populations and changing environmental conditions. Effective control, he argues, will require a combination of public education, land management, and efforts to reduce tick abundance. “To really control tickborne diseases, there needs to be more land management, public education and a drop in the overall tick population.” Dr. Paulo Verardi Dr. Paulo Verardi is a virologist who specializes in vaccine research and development. He is a Department Head and Associate Professor at UConn and a member of the Center of Excellence for Vaccine Research. View his profile As Lyme disease continues to spread across North America, understanding the intersection of climate, ecology, public health, and vaccine development is becoming increasingly important. Researchers are working to better understand why tick populations are expanding, how disease risk is changing, and what strategies can best protect people who live, work, and spend time outdoors. Covering Lyme or other tickborne diseases? We can help. To learn more about Lyme disease, tick-borne illnesses, vaccine development, infectious disease trends, and public health preparedness, connect with experts such as Dr. David Banach and Dr. Paulo Verardi, whose research and expertise help explain the growing challenges posed by tick-borne diseases.

Expert Insight: The ‘100 Deadly Days of Summer’ featured image

3 min

Expert Insight: The ‘100 Deadly Days of Summer’

A recent article in the Hartford Courant examining a sudden increase in fatal crashes across Connecticut has transportation safety experts sounding the alarm as the busy summer travel season begins. The story featured Eric Jackson, executive director of the Connecticut Transportation Institute and director of the Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center, who noted that 16 roadway fatalities were recorded in just nine days — a significant increase that quickly narrowed what had been a year-over-year decline in traffic deaths. Jackson points to a combination of warmer weather, longer days, increased travel, and more vulnerable road users on the road as factors that contribute to what safety professionals often call the "100 Deadly Days of Summer" between Memorial Day and Labor Day. He also warns that motorcycle fatalities may continue to rise as more riders return to the roads, particularly amid higher fuel prices. For journalists covering traffic safety, transportation trends, infrastructure, or public policy, Jackson offers valuable insight into the data, behaviors, and seasonal factors influencing roadway fatalities. The latest data released by the University of Connecticut Crash Repository — which tracks fatal crashes throughout the year — shows that 16 fatalities were reported on Connecticut’s roads between May 10 and May 19, when the numbers were last updated. That many fatal crashes in that short of a time span is a “huge” number and one that “we usually don’t see,” said Dr. Eric Jackson, a research professor at UConn. The overall number of traffic fatalities is still down across the state compared to the same time last year, but the gap has shrunk drastically in the last few weeks, according to Jackson, who serves as the executive director of the Connecticut Transportation Institute and the director of the Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center. As of May 10, there were 64 traffic deaths reported in 2026 compared to 78 at the same time last year. The most recent data shows that 80 fatal crashes have now been reported so far this year, compared to 83 at the same time in 2025. One potential reason for the drastic uptick in fatalities could be the increased activity that goes along with warmer weather and longer days. “People are out and about more,” Jackson said. During the first several months of the year, cold weather and a number of winter storms could have contributed to keeping many people inside and slowing down those who did go out, Jackson speculated. “Snowstorms, huge weather events usually prevent fatalities because people aren’t driving as fast,” he said.   The trend is especially concerning as higher fuel prices have more people looking to motorcycles as a way to get around in better weather while reducing their fuel consumption. Nine riders have died in Connecticut in the past few weeks, leading some local news outlets to ask: Are high gas prices fueling a rise in deadly motorcycle crashes? Looking to know more?  We can help. Connect with Eric Jackson to discuss seasonal traffic safety trends, motorcycle safety, transportation data analysis, and strategies to reduce roadway fatalities.

How Worried Should We Be About Hantavirus? featured image

2 min

How Worried Should We Be About Hantavirus?

An outbreak of an uncommon but not unheard-of illness is responsible for the deaths of at least three people who were on an international cruise ship. With the rest of the passengers and crew under observation in their home countries — including 18 Americans who went to a quarantine facility at the University of Nebraska — how worried do we need to be about hantavirus? Dr. David Banach, UConn Health infectious diseases physician and hospital epidemiologist, joins Dr. Anthony Alessi to explain what we’re dealing with, the public health implications, and how, unlike COVID, the medical community at least has some history with this virus. You can check out the podcast here: It doesn’t spread in the same way that COVID does, in the sense that there’s no established sort of asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic spread. — Dr. David Banach Dr. Banach explains that hantavirus is a rare but serious virus carried primarily by rodents and spread through exposure to rodent waste or contaminated environments. While most cases are isolated, clusters can occasionally occur. The discussion compares hantavirus to COVID-19, with Dr. Banach emphasizing that hantavirus spreads much less easily between humans and is therefore less likely to become a global pandemic. However, it can cause severe cardiopulmonary illness with a significantly higher mortality rate than COVID. There is currently no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment, meaning care is largely supportive for patients who become critically ill. Dr. Banach also addresses public anxiety and misinformation surrounding the outbreak, encouraging people to rely on trusted organizations such as the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for accurate information. He notes that public health officials continue to closely monitor the situation, but at this stage the overall risk to the general public remains low. Interested in learning more? Simply click on Dr. Banach's icon to arrange a time to talk today.

View all posts
Powered by