Disinformation strategies, climate disinformation, and verification techniques in Agência Lupa's checks on the 2024 floods in Rio Grande do Sul

This study focuses on disinformative content verified by Agência Lupa in the context of the floods in Rio Grande do Sul in 2024. The article maps both the disinformation strategies and attributes of climate disinformation and the fact-checking techniques and tools applied for verification. In the 44 fact-checks analyzed, the most recurrent disinformation strategies were the use of images or statements out of context and misleading connections, with consulting official sources and web searches being the most used fact-checking approaches. As for the most frequent attributes of climate disinformation, it was identified that undermining institutions in general and discrediting solutions, with a strong presence of messages marked by emotional appeal and the connection of climate events to political polarization. Based on the diagnosis, opportunities are discussed for the preparation of local communicators in confronting disinformation in extreme weather events as a measure to promote informational resilience and psychosocial well-being.