U.S. authorities are struggling to convince a skeptical public that reports of mystery lights flying over New Jersey and other states are nothing to worry about, but observers say how those officials are communicating that message is hampering the effort.
The government is telling people not to worry, but not giving them much beyond that, and that’s a problem, says Philip Mai, co-director of the Social Media Lab at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU).
“The message was [delivered in] dribs and drabs, but it didn’t have enough details,” said Mai, who researches the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories on social media.
He’s been watching the story of the mysterious lights — which are mostly legal drones, according to officials, and sometimes other aircraft or even stars — as it has unfolded online and, eventually, in the media in recent weeks.
Speculation has raged online, with some expressing concerns that the drones could be part of a plot by foreign agents or clandestine operations by the U.S. government. The topic of UFOs has also been raised by some.
Jangyul Kim, an associate professor in the department of journalism and media communications at Colorado State University, concurs that the government has not been able “to clearly explain” the situation.
Kim says officials should be more transparent how they reached those conclusions if they want to quell public concerns.
‘Nothing nefarious’
Even Joe Biden has not been able to tamp down concerns.
The U.S. president — who last year ordered the shooting down of a purported Chinese spy balloon — recently said there appears to be “nothing nefarious” to the reports.
Officials from the Pentagon have likewise said there are no significant security concerns.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby has downplayed reports of ‘mystery drones’ over New Jersey, suggesting there’s no reason to think they pose a threat or have a ‘foreign nexus.’ Others, including some top Republicans, disagree and are demanding a full briefing.
But since the pandemic, Mai said, “people have grown more mistrustful” of what they hear from their governments.
And today, they’re aware of drones being used to lethal effects in Ukraine and in other conflicts.
“We are all pickling or stewing in the same information ecosystem,” he said.
That, plus a lack of information from officials about the drones, and you can see the potential for people to attempt to fill in the gaps on their own.
Calls for stricter rules
Amid the confusion, some lawmakers have called for stricter rules about who can fly unmanned aircraft — and for the authority to shoot them down.
Also this week, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily banned drone flights in 22 areas over critical infrastructure in New Jersey. FAA officials said the restrictions were requested by federal security agencies and are effective through Jan. 17.
After announcing a $1.3B plan to increase security on the U.S. border, Canadian officials offered an idea of how that money could be spent.
Meanwhile, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby says Washington has deployed personnel and advanced technology to investigate the reports in New Jersey and other states, and is evaluating each tip reported by citizens.
About 100 of the more than 5,000 sightings reported to the FBI in recent weeks were deemed credible enough to warrant more investigation, according to a joint statement by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FBI, FAA and Department of Defence.
Mai says some of the officials have alluded to the fact that some parts of the government may not be sufficiently co-ordinating with their counterparts. It could be possible, he says, that some branches may not be aware of the activities of others.
Blaming the government
Multiple Republican voices blame the White House for the lack of clarity.
“I think that there is a real hysteria around here, but I blame that right back on the White House,” Rep. Zack Nunn of Iowa told ABC News on Wednesday.
House Speaker Mike Johnson sounded a similar note, telling Fox News that “people are not buying the answers… and we’re demanding that the administration do its job.”
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has said he believes the government knows more than it’s saying.
But Sen. Andy Kim, a New Jersey Democrat, says that he’s heard nothing to support the notion that the government is hiding anything.
He says a lack of faith in institutions is playing a key part in the saga.
“Nothing that I’m seeing, nothing that I’ve engaged in gives me any impression of that nature. But like, I get it, some people won’t believe me, right? Because that’s the level of distrust that we face,” Kim said Monday.
