Social media amplified false information that played a role in the recent refugee crisis between Morocco and Spain, in which an estimated 80,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta.

ISD’s Moustafa Ayad spoke to The New York Times about this development, which started with a post that seemed to legitimize rumors percolating for weeks on social media suggesting that a recent ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court meant migrants who arrived illegally by sea could stay in the country.

“It started off as a din,” Moustafa said, referring to the discussion online, “and then it avalanched.”

Moustafa explained that millions of these posts circulated on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok and Telegram for three weeks, which ultimately triggered the events in Ceuta.

The full article is available on The New York Times.