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Here's What 'First Responders' on Twitter Got Wrong About the NYC Attack

What happened?

A Twitter account with breaking news updates from reporters in New York City had inaccurate tweets about the Halloween attack in downtown Manhattan, saying that the attack was “NOT terror-related” and that a fight had broken out between two truck drivers.

Did they correct the record?

As we now know, the attack was indeed an act of terrorism. @NYCityAlerts went on to update its followers with the mayor’s announcement that the truck driver killed eight people in a terror attack as well as the breaking news that the suspect left a note in his truck saying the attack was carried out in the name of ISIS.

Glenn’s take:

We should be cautious of the “first responders” who share initial reports from the scene. False stories spread when people jump the gun, and it’s better to wait on the facts.

“Somebody out there always has a reason to spread false information that helps their agenda,” Glenn said. “But sometimes it’s just people trying to be the first to report something. … Either way, not helpful.”

This article provided courtesy of TheBlaze.

GLENN: First responders are often completely wrong. And I'm not not talking about police or paramedics. I'm talking about the first responder -- I believe the first responders are us. And when you are the first responder on Twitter or Facebook, the ones that rush to announce that an incident is not Islamic-related terrorism, they're almost always wrong.

After Tuesday's terrorist attack in New York City, for example, a Twitter account called New York City Alerts tweeted, breaking update, NYPD official confirms incident in downtown Manhattan was not terror-related.

Completely false. Later, they tweeted, per the PD sources, a fight between two truck drivers led to one truck hitting multiple pedestrians and one truck driver opened fire. Yeah, that's -- again, your attempt to recover from not Islamic extremist -- you just made it worse.

We've seen other examples of this in recent years, calling the 2015 San Bernardino terrorist attack workplace violence. Social media users misidentifying the Charlottesville killer, which forced a Michigan man and his family to flee their home because of death threats.

Sometimes it's people on the far left. Sometimes it's people on the far right. Somebody out there always has a reason to spread false information that helps their agenda.

But sometimes it's just people trying to be the first to report something and get a bunch of retweets. Either way, not helpful.

Why We Don’t Recognize Real Nazis Anymore | Konstantin Kisin | The Glenn Beck Podcast | Ep 202
Culture Wars

Why We Don’t Recognize Real Nazis Anymore | Konstantin Kisin | The Glenn Beck Podcast | Ep 202

"TRIGGERnometry" co-host Konstantin Kisin grew up in the Soviet Union, so he knows what tyranny looks like. These days, it’s huge mobs of pro-Palestinian protesters prowling the streets, celebrating Hitler — literally. As Kisin tells Glenn: “The people who’ve spent seven years calling people Nazis can’t recognize actual Nazis when they see them.” He suggests that they be rewarded with a one-way ticket to Gaza. Speaking from his home in London — where hundreds of thousands of anti-Israel Brits marched in solidarity with anti-Semitism — Kisin warns Glenn that the situation is about to get even worse. Throughout this episode of “The Glenn Beck Podcast,” he exudes a palpable unease as he charts the telltale signs of a further societal demise, from the indoctrination that has overtaken the education system and the lack of religion to Russia’s war in Ukraine and the terrifying rise of anti-Semitism. He describes his evolution from a centrist-leaning political commentator to someone who sees the far Left for what it is: hateful and dangerous. But Kisin and Glenn’s discussion is not all doom and gloom. Kisin, who’s interviewed notable guests like Jordan Peterson and Bill Maher on his podcast, thinks that a course correction has already started taking place. For example, he tells Glenn why the collapse of the mainstream media is a good thing and why people should be hopeful that social media will someday be as taboo as cigarettes are today. He’s also optimistic about the future of comedy, especially here in America: “People are realizing that wokeness is not the solution to the crisis of meaning and purpose that many young people are suffering.”

Part 3 | ‘Chosen By Allah’: The Truth Behind Iran’s Mission to DESTROY The West | Rumors of War
World News

Part 3 | ‘Chosen By Allah’: The Truth Behind Iran’s Mission to DESTROY The West | Rumors of War

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently told Hamas it would NOT enter into the war against Israel and that the terrorist group had not given Iranian officials any prior warning of its attack on October 7th. Hmm…do we REALLY believe that? Because, in reality, Iran has not only been funding Hamas for years, but it has also publicly declared a mission to destroy America — and its allies — ever since it became a theocratic nation decades ago. Iran is willing to use any means possible to complete this goal…nuclear weapons included. But why? Why is there so much hatred against the West and its allies? What’s fueling this goal? In this three-part series, which originally aired in 2011, you’ll learn about the history and the dangerous ideology behind Iran’s every move, the way Democrats and the Obama administration facilitated its progress, and just how close Iran is to its nuclear war goals…

‘Chosen By Allah’: The Truth Behind Iran’s Mission to DESTROY The West | Rumors of War Part 2
VIDEOS

‘Chosen By Allah’: The Truth Behind Iran’s Mission to DESTROY The West | Rumors of War Part 2

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently told Hamas it would NOT enter into the war against Israel and that the terrorist group had not given Iranian officials any prior warning of its attack on October 7th. Hmm…do we REALLY believe that? Because, in reality, Iran has not only been funding Hamas for years, but it has also publicly declared a mission to destroy America — and its allies — ever since it became a theocratic nation decades ago. Iran is willing to use any means possible to complete this goal…nuclear weapons included. But why? Why is there so much hatred against the West and its allies? What’s fueling this goal? In this three-part series, which originally aired in 2011, you’ll learn about the history and the dangerous ideology behind Iran’s every move, the way Democrats and the Obama administration facilitated its progress, and just how close Iran is to its nuclear war goals…

‘Chosen By Allah’: The Truth Behind Iran’s Mission to DESTROY The West | Rumors of War Part 1
VIDEOS

‘Chosen By Allah’: The Truth Behind Iran’s Mission to DESTROY The West | Rumors of War Part 1

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently told Hamas it would NOT enter into the war against Israel and that the terrorist group had not given Iranian officials any prior warning of its attack on October 7th. Hmm…do we REALLY believe that? Because, in reality, Iran has not only been funding Hamas for years, but it has also publicly declared a mission to destroy America — and its allies — ever since it became a theocratic nation decades ago. Iran is willing to use any means possible to complete this goal…nuclear weapons included. But why? Why is there so much hatred against the West and its allies? What’s fueling this goal? In this three-part series, which originally aired in 2011, you’ll learn about the history and the dangerous ideology behind Iran’s every move, the way Democrats and the Obama administration facilitated its progress, and just how close Iran is to its nuclear war goals…