Eight of the top ten most popular online shows in the United States, including those helmed by Joe Rogan, Russell Brand, Ben Shapiro and Jordan B Peterson, have shared climate misinformation, a new study by Yale Climate Connections has found.
According to the study, rather than outrightly denying that climate change exists, these shows are adopting a ‘new kind of climate denial’, focusing on false and misleading messages such as ‘Climate solutions don’t work’, and ‘Climate change has some benefits’.
These type of statements comprised 70% of all climate-related misinformation on YouTube in 2023, an increase from 35% in 2018, according to a recent study by the Center for Countering Digital Hate.
Social media influencers
Approximately one in five adults in the US, as well as 37% of adults under 30, say that they regularly get news from social media influencers.
Other broadcasters that have shared inaccurate climate information, according to Yale Climate Connections include Charlie Kirk, Candace Owens, Full Send and Phil McGraw.
As one comment by Kirk put it, “Climate change is the wrapper around Marxism. You have Marxism at its core and you have climate change on the exterior. Climate change activism, environmentalism, pseudo-paganism – we call it a Trojan horse.”
Climate change awareness
Despite the growing spread of misinformation on social media, public understanding of climate change remains relatively strong, Yale Climate Connections noted.
‘Our partners at the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication have found that the majority of Americans believe climate change is happening, it’s bad, and action should be taken,’ it said. Read more here.
![[Photo: Simon Stiell at the 2026 Green Growth Summit, © Michael Chia]](https://sustainabilityonline.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/55156266128_79cd8256de_k.jpg)
