While there are rogue scientists backing up data, and rebels setting up Twitter accounts to share facts on global warming, there are posts whose authenticity need varification
They say that it’s not wise to trust everything that is circulated on the Internet. This holds true in nine out of 10 cases, especially when the original post comes from a Facebook, WhatsApp or a Reddit thread. Recently, a post, allegedly put by an Environment Protection Agency official has gone viral for the content shared by the user.
The post was shared Matt Wasson, the Director of Programmes at Appalachian Voices, who said that the post was written by a ‘friend of a friend’
This is what was written
Of course, the post did have its share of reactions and shares on Facebook, Reddit and Instagram. Former US Marine Roger Cooper shared the story on social media, but added that while he initially questioned the authenticity, he did get a call from someone on his Facebook timeline, who said that whatever the status said was absolutely true.
Officials using the dark web
“Our EPA post is absolutely true. My husband works for a local state university, and is also taking classes. One of his professors from last semester called him yesterday because he knew Brent works with technology. He said one of his friends works for the EPA and needed to have his research data copied because his computer was going to be taken. He knows a lot about research…not a lot about technology. So Brent spent a few hours yesterday helping them set up a system for transferring all their work to a safe place — he said he used a TOR browser,” he shared.
While explaining the TOR browser, Cooper added that it’s a network of computers on the dark web. “The Tor browser lets you access them (and only that browser will let you do it,” he added.
The final bit isn’t new news. Ever since Donald Trump won the elections, there have been reports of scientists backing up data in case the US government deleted everything. US news broadcaster ABC shared a report in December 2016 on the same, while Wired shared a story on rogue scientists backing up data
A Facebook page called Guerrilla Archiving was set up, with the sole purpose to back-up relevant data, should it be deleted by the Trump administration. “This project is urgent because the Trump transition team has identified the EPA and other environmental programmes as priorities for the chopping block. This event is an initiative of the Environmental Data Governance Initiative and the TechnoScience Resaerch Unit,” the post shared by the page read.
Earlier this week, President Trump’s administration had instructed the EPA to remove the climate change page from its website, two agency employees told Reuters, the latest move by the newly minted leadership to erase ex-President Barack Obama's climate change initiatives.
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