False claims suggesting that the BBC has been misreporting temperatures in southern Europe have been spreading on social media.

A clip of Neil Oliver, a GB News presenter, accusing the BBC “and others” of “driving fear” by using “supposedly terrifying temperatures”, has been viewed more than two million times.

For the past few weeks, an intense heatwave has been sweeping through parts of southern Europe and north Africa, with extensive wildfires breaking out in Greece, Italy and Algeria - leading to more than 40 deaths.

Speaking about the fires on Rhodes on GB News on Monday, Mr Oliver accused the BBC, and other broadcasters, of trying to “make people terrified of the weather”.

  • vraylle@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Are these trolls literally living in their parents’ basements? Like not going outside to notice it is, indeed, hot?

    • r00ty@kbin.life
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      1 year ago

      In the UK right now it’s actually cold for July. Overnights going as low as 7-9c in the south and day time max between 16c and 22c. So it might explain it.

      So, yeah that’s not the case that they could go outside and see for themselves. Yeah it’s still a stupid conspiracy theory. But, there’s no heatwave in the UK right now.

      • Quaiche@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I mean… As indicated by the news it’s a Southern Europe heat wave.

        The UK are absolutely not located in the so it h.

      • CheeseNoodle@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Its been weirdly very humid though even for the UK. Its cold if you sit still but the moment you get off your ass and do something you start sweating like a pig.