In the early 2000s, internet theorists and futurists believed that access to the internet would result in an overall increase in intellect. After all, surely people would grow smarter if they had all of humanity’s knowledge right at their fingertips? In reality, however, online echo chambers and misinformation have actually contributed to public polarization and the proliferation of numerous conspiracy theories. Many of these theories have one toe dipped in reality, while the body of the concept flails among the clouds of paranoia and fiction. Take, for example, conspiracy theories regarding weather modification and chemtrails. While both are loosely derived from a scientific fact, they have been misinterpreted and redefined to represent something fictional and nefarious. These conspiracy theories are no longer on the fringes of society, though, with many who work within the government subscribing to these ideas. This has led to headlines such as “Florida bans chemtrails” and “Florida bans weather modification”. Let’s find out how valid these changes are and what they mean for the country.
Florida Bans Chemtrails
On the 20th of June 2025, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill that effectively bans “geoengineering and weather modification activities“. While there had been theoretical discussions as to how technology could be used to address climate change, conspiracy theorists believed these efforts were designed to spread ‘toxic chemicals’ on US citizens. In May, DeSantis posted on X that “Florida is not a testing ground for geoengineering. We already do not permit this type of activity, but we are going the next step to ensure it does not happen in this state.” This new bill revokes regulations that allow for cloud seeding.
Additionally, it states that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection needs to create an email for any citizens wishing to express their concerns regarding weather modification or to report any such activity. Additionally, publicly owned airports will be required to submit reports listing any aircraft equipped with substance-dispersing devices on a monthly basis or risk losing state funding.
While the word “chemtrails” isn’t directly mentioned in the bill, it appears several times in media posts shared by the sponsor of the bill, Republican Sen.Ileana Garcia. In 2024, Tennessee passed a similar bill, with the chemtrail conspiracy being named as a deciding factor by several legislators. According to Rep. Anna Eskamani, “This bill is feeding into conspiracy theories, and I think it’s important that we do not legislate under that type of pressure but that we legislate on science, we legislate on fact, we legislate not on fear but on information.” An analysis of the bill revealed that no one has even applied for any weather modification licences in the states in the last 10 years.
The Chemtrails Conspiracy Theory
So, what are chemtrails, exactly? According to the Harvard University report, the theory revolves around a misunderstanding of contrails, the line of white clouds that can occasionally be seen trailing behind a plane. Contrails occur when the humid and hot air expelled from the engines condenses into ice crystals in the cold air. In dry weather, these wispy cloud trails usually fade rather quickly. However, they can sometimes remain for a while, depending on various factors such as altitude, humidity, temperature, and so on. When the humidity is particularly high, these contrails can last for hours, spreading out and creating a criss-cross effect in the sky as the planes’ flight paths intersect over time.
To conspiracy theorists, however, this is seen as proof that some powerful entity is dumping chemicals into the atmosphere as a form of weather control or poisoning. Some even go as far as to suggest that they are able to generate hurricanes on command. Following a series of hurricanes, this theory once again entered the public sphere thanks to individuals such as Marjorie Taylor Greene. Even the man currently holding the position of US Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has claimed that the American Department of Defence was deliberately spraying the population with toxic chemicals.
This misinformation campaign has real-world consequences, though, such as reports of meteorologists even receiving death threats. Even institutions such as NOAA had to create webpages to counteract the spread of misinformation. This has led to NOAA having to make posts such as “No one creates or steers hurricanes; the technology does not exist.” However, according to the bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen.Ileana Garcia, “The purpose of this bill is to separate fact from fiction”. Garcia stated that the bill was created to look into the theories requested by constituents.
Read More: Are Chemtrails Real? Here’s What Experts Say
The Bottom Line
While conspiracies are nothing new, they have recently become weaponized for the sake of political division. Politicians are fully aware that these topics are divisive and hope to gain the support of those who believe in them by catering to their paranoia. This has led to headlines such as “Florida bans chemtrails” and “Florida bans weather modification”. However, by trying to appease the masses, these politicians are effectively bolstering these claims, allowing them to spread unchecked for their own purposes. We see this not only in the subject of weather modification, but also in climate change denial, anti-vaccine movements, and the recent firing of those working within the CDC. While our current era may be defined by an abundance of access to information, it is now up to us to discern what is fact and what is misinformation.
Read More: Trump Administration Sparks Controversy by Acknowledging US Involvement in ‘Chemtrails’ Program