These kinds of outrage episodes spread in part because their message seems plausible, and they tap into the anxieties of the young and the guilt of the elites a

These kinds of outrage episodes spread in part because their message seems plausible, and they tap into the anxieties of the young and the guilt of the elites and the middle-aged. They originate from viral posts that stir up emotions while questioning the lack of media coverage in mainstream media --- long a popular tactic used by the right, but in recent years adopted by loud voices on seemingly the far left. Without digging into every case, it's hard to nail down whether these are organic, authentic attempts by would-be influencers or true believers to bring attention to an issue, or whether they're planted stories designed to simply stoke pre-existing anxieties further. Someone should try to track this down. Nonetheless, media outlets will eventually cover the issue and the resulting social media outrage, and occasionally perpetuate false or misleading information, or highly biased viewpoints noting that bias in the process. A few publications debunking this after the fact is unlikely to reverse the spread of misinformation.