US authorities are struggling to convince a skeptical public Reports of mysterious lights flying over New Jersey and other states are nothing to worry about, but observers say the way these 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 poorly delivered but didn’t provide enough detail,” said Mai, who studies the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories on social media.
He has been following the story of the mysterious lights – which authorities say are mostly legal drones and sometimes other aircraft or even stars – as it unfolded online and eventually in the media over the past few weeks.
There has been intense speculation online, with some expressing concerns that the drones could be part of a conspiracy by foreign agents or secret U.S. government operations. The topic of UFOs was also raised by some.
Jangyul Kim, an associate professor in Colorado State University’s Department of Journalism and Media Communications, agrees that the government has been unable to “clearly explain” the situation.
Kim says officials should be more transparent about how they reached these conclusions if they want to allay public concerns.
“Nothing shameful”
Even Joe Biden couldn’t allay the concerns.
The US President – the one last year ordered the shot down of an alleged Chinese spy balloon – recently said that there appeared to be “nothing nefarious” about the reports.
Pentagon officials also said there were no significant security concerns.
White House national security spokesman John Kirby has downplayed reports of “mysterious drones” over New Jersey, saying there is no reason to believe they pose a threat or have a “foreign connection.” Others, including some leading Republicans, disagree and call for full briefings.
But since the pandemic, Mai said, “people have become more suspicious” of what they hear from their governments.
And today they are aware of the existence of drones used to deadly effects in Ukraine and in other conflicts.
“We all stew or stew in the same information ecosystem,” he said.
Add to this the lack of information from authorities about the drones, and one recognizes the possibility that people are trying to fill 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 the authority to shoot them down.
Also this week, the 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 safety agencies and would be in effect through Jan. 17.
After announcing a $1.3 billion plan to boost security at the U.S. border, Canadian officials offered an idea for how that money could be spent.
Meanwhile, White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Washington has deployed personnel and advanced technology to investigate the reports in New Jersey and other states and is evaluating every tip reported by citizens.
About 100 of the more than 5,000 sightings reported to the FBI in recent weeks were considered credible enough to warrant further investigation. says a joint statement from the US Department of Homeland Security, FBI, FAA and Department of Defense.
May says some of the officials indicated that some parts of the government may not be sufficiently coordinated with their counterparts. It’s possible, he says, that some industries are unaware of the activities of others.
Blame the government
Several Republican voices blame the White House because of the ambiguity.
“I think there is a real hysteria here, but I blame the White House for that,” said Rep. Zack Nunn of Iowa said ABC News on Wednesday.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson a similar tone soundedHe told Fox News that “people aren’t buying the answers… and we’re demanding that the government do its job.”
US President-elect Donald Trump has said he believes the government knows more than it is saying.
But Sen. Andy Kim, a Democrat from New Jersey, says he hasn’t heard anything to support the idea that the government is hiding something.
He says a lack of trust in institutions plays a key role in the saga.
“Nothing I see, nothing I have done, gives me that impression. But I understand, some people won’t believe me, right? Because that’s the level of distrust that we face,” Kim said on Monday.
