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QAnon conspiracies go global in pandemic 'perfect storm'
AFP ^ | Oct 6 | Hong Kong (AFP)

Posted on 10/06/2020 9:59:43 AM PDT by RandFan

Powered by fear, anger and big tech's algorithms, the QAnon conspiracy movement has exploded from the US political fringe into the global mainstream during the pandemic.

Its influence can be seen at anti-lockdown and anti-mask rallies from Los Angeles, to London, Berlin and Melbourne -- with protesters warning, without evidence, that the pandemic is a conspiracy by a cabal of satanist paedophiles who control the world.

Experts say QAnon has grown sharply during the pandemic because it acted as a binding force -- mixing its core tenet with long-running conspiracy theories about vaccines and 5G mobile technology, anti-Semitic and white supremacist tropes, as well as far-right and libertarian politics.

"In some ways, the pandemic has created the perfect storm for conspiracy theories like QAnon to grow," Mackenzie Hart, a disinformation researcher at the London-based ISD think tank, told AFP.

"Not only are people stuck inside and spending more time online, but people are scared. When people are scared, conspiracy theories provide easy answers."

ISD's analysis of QAnon-related posts on major social media platforms showed explosive growth between March and June this year -- nearly 175 percent on Facebook, 77.1 percent on Instagram, and 63.7 percent on Twitter.

This rise happened as coronavirus infections were spiking around the world, forcing governments to tighten social distancing rules and impose lockdowns of varying intensity.

While QAnon content gas remained most dominant in the United States, researchers have found related social media content originating from around 70 countries.

Many QAnon followers believe the coronavirus is a conspiracy to take away people's liberties and control them using 5G and vaccines.

Some have branded it a "Plandemic", accusing prominent figures such as Bill Gates, Hillary Clinton and even Tom Hanks of involvement.

(Excerpt) Read more at france24.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: q; qanon
I wonder they "monitor" the threads on FR? I'm sure Jim would tell them where to go!
1 posted on 10/06/2020 9:59:43 AM PDT by RandFan
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To: RandFan

I'm sure Jim would tell them where to go!

Tell who where to go?

2 posted on 10/06/2020 10:04:54 AM PDT by BlessedBeGod (To restore all things in Christ~~Appeasing evil is cowardice~~Francis is temporary. Hell is forever.)
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To: RandFan

Someone once wrote this back in February 2019. It’s now true than ever:
“How can an entity known only as ‘Q’ (face-less, name-less, fame-less, etc.) begin to ask questions on 4ch (now 8ch) and build something of this magnitude?

How can this same ‘Q’ entity garner such a massive amount of WW MSM [FAKE NEWS] attention [attacks]?”


3 posted on 10/06/2020 10:06:04 AM PDT by MNDude
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To: RandFan

Strange. The few times I have checked out Q-anon, I never saw anything about satanic or pedophile control of the Covid pandemic. I did see, however, confirmed stories about pedophiles (with convictions) in the deepest part of the Democratic machine, which the media corpse never reported. It appears to me that they report the news that the networks and lying media will not report, so, they represent a clear and present danger to the Deep State. No cockroach likes the light of day.


4 posted on 10/06/2020 10:06:34 AM PDT by silent majority rising
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To: RandFan

People do. That’s why we never give any info about our real names our anything specific. Ever.

Not necessarily the government. But folks who just Hate Us in general.

You’d be surprised.

And they are VERY disappointed when they find out we are not racist, sexist, homophobic or Islamophobic or transphobic.

Phobic being an Irrational Fear.

BTW, you were right about that Uk.express poll being very accurate 4 years ago.

When you posted that, I was gonna jump all over it as not true because I’m a miserable grouch :)

But I looked it up and you were right.

It made me feel much better about the election.

I don’t get rasmussen having Trump’s approval go from 53 last week to 44.

But now I don’t care. The UK poll was incredibly accurate and I’m going with them.

Ciao and have a good one.


5 posted on 10/06/2020 10:08:29 AM PDT by dp0622 (Tried a coup, a fake tax story, tramp slander, Russia nonsense, impeachment and a virus. They lost.)
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To: RandFan

bttt


6 posted on 10/06/2020 10:09:06 AM PDT by Pajamajan ( Pray for our nation. Thank the Lord for everything you have. Don't wait. Do it today.)
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To: RandFan

I put a post on Facebook about Qanon. Basically saying if the government wants to censor this, I better find out what it says. And I explained some stuff Qanon has said. I hope some more people will take a look and decide for themselves.


7 posted on 10/06/2020 10:09:41 AM PDT by Betty Jane
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To: RandFan
I haven't seen COVID-19 referred to as a plandemic before.

That's a good name for it.

The timing of its appearance just as the impeachment failed is impossible to not notice.

We do not need a conspiracy theory of whether or not a pandemic can be started by human hands. We've all heard the "smallpox infected" blankets story over and over again.

This timing of the appearance of the pandemic, the Democrats' glee with using it to kill the economy, micromanage the people, and attack Trump is too many coincidences for there NOT to be thoughts of conspiracy involved.

8 posted on 10/06/2020 10:11:16 AM PDT by Prolixus (In all seriousness:)
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To: RandFan

I think the media gave it a huge boost when they asked Trump about it.


9 posted on 10/06/2020 10:13:17 AM PDT by Brilliant
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To: RandFan

They are discovering that their efforts to suppress views that are not mindless parroting of the official party line only make people seek them out. It drives them insane that they cannot make things like that ‘Plandemic’ video disappear, which is why they keep bitching about Q being a thing still. And in so doing, they make it more of a thing.


10 posted on 10/06/2020 10:23:10 AM PDT by pepsi_junkie (Often wrong, but never in doubt!)
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To: RandFan

Anyone can read any thread anonymously.


11 posted on 10/06/2020 10:37:51 AM PDT by bigbob (Trust Trump. Trust the Plan)
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To: dp0622

It’s not irrational to fear saracens or islam.


12 posted on 10/06/2020 11:10:50 AM PDT by wastedyears (The left would kill every single one of us and our families if they knew they could get away with it)
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To: RandFan
Here is a good question: Which of the Global Elites is not a Satanist?

There is circumstantial and factual evidence that they are ALL into this Darkness
13 posted on 10/06/2020 11:33:45 AM PDT by Jan_Sobieski (Sanctification)
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To: RandFan

Democrat Russia Russia Russia conspiracy theories go perfect storm. For 4+ years running.


14 posted on 10/06/2020 11:53:09 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (Joe Biden- "First thing I'd do is repeal those Trump tax cuts." (May 4th, 2019)l)
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