A member of the National Guard, Jo Ellis, who serves as a UH60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot for the Virginia Army National Guard, recently found herself at the center of a disturbing online rumor. Following a tragic incident in Washington involving a Black Hawk helicopter colliding with a passenger jet, false claims on social media wrongly identified Ellis as one of the pilots responsible for the accident.
In response to these baseless accusations, Ellis took to Facebook to set the record straight and dispel the misinformation circulating online. She expressed her dismay at being falsely linked to the tragic event and emphasized the importance of respecting the victims and their families during such a difficult time.
Ellis shared screenshots of posts that falsely connected her being transgender to the helicopter crash, highlighting the harmful impact of spreading such unfounded rumors. Despite her efforts to correct the misinformation and clarify the situation, far-right accounts on social media platforms continued to perpetuate false narratives and engage in hate speech.
It is crucial to recognize the damaging effects of spreading misinformation online and the importance of verifying facts before sharing information. Jo Ellis' experience serves as a reminder of the dangers of false claims and the need for responsible behavior on social media platforms.
