Who is to Blame? Conventional and Unconventional Media Disinformation Spread During a Natural Catastrophe.

The ideological polarisation expressed by political parties and the media is intrinsic to political competition in democratic systems. That is discussion, contrasting information, and honest debate between them are the basis for reaching agreements, accepting differences and improving proposals for democratic progress (Miller, 2023). However, if this polarisation is excessive, driven by spurious interests, to manipulate the discourse to generate disagreements or outside the rules of the game, it harms a scenario of governance and democratic quality. One of these effects is affective polarisation, which leads to deep disagreements promoted by this rejection of origin. This happens not only with political parties but also with the media, journalists, influencers, etc. This dichotomous view of reality, not only political but also economic, social, and cultural, poses a serious threat to coexistence and puts at risk the very core of democracy and our institutions. Although polarisation does not occur through conventional or unconventional media, it plays a central role in constructing and disseminating information, exacerbating extreme polarisation. Conventional wisdom often blames social media for spreading divisive messages. However, there has been insufficient examination of how traditional media may amplify disinformation narratives that influencers or interest groups propagated on these platforms. This research analyses the agents of disinformation in the context of a natural disaster, specifically, the DANA floods that affected the Spanish coast last October. Data collected from platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook reveals that conventional media outlets and journalists significantly influence the dissemination of information across these platforms. By analysing over a million posts and over 50 million views, this study aims to identify the primary "agents of disinformation" and explore their interactions and the communities they foster, which may help clarify the sources of blame—been studied about the multiplying role of conventional media on disinformation messages generated by influencers or interest groups on these platforms. This research analyses the agents of disinformation in a natural disaster scenario such as the DANA (floods) suffered on the Spanish coast last October. Data collected from platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook shows the supremacy of conventional media outlets and journalists in disseminating information on these platforms. The analysis of over a million posts and over 50 million views aims to highlight the main "agents of disinformation"; their interactions and the communities generated might shed some light on who is to blame.