Facebook has just classified the QAnon conspiracy theory movement as hazardous and started removing Facebook groups and pages as well as Instagram accounts that hold themselves out as agents.
The step escalates an August policy that prohibited a third of QAnon classes for promoting violence when allowing most to stay, albeit with content appearing less often in news feeds. Instead of relying on consumer testimonials, Facebook staff currently will treat QAnon like other militarized bodies, seeking out and deleting pages and groups, the business said in a blog article.
Since the August limitations, some QAnon groups have added members, and others used coded language to prevent detection, for example referring to “cue” instead of Q. Meanwhile, adherents have worked to incorporate themselves in other groups, such as people concerned with child security and these critical of restrictions on gatherings on account of this coronavirus, according to investigators in Facebook and elsewhere.
“QAnon messaging changes very quickly and we see networks of supporters build an audience with one message and then quickly pivot to another”.
Recent QAnon posts have spread false information about voting and about COVID-19, researchers stated, even claiming that President Trump faked his analysis of COVID-19 in order to orchestrate secret arrests.
Classed as a potential source of terrorism from the FBI, QAnon is pushed by an anonymous online poster nicknamed Q who promises to be a Trump administration insider. The centre, nonsensical claim is that Trump is secretly leading a crackdown against an massive paedophile ring which includes prominent Democrats and the Hollywood elite.
There’s been no spike in arrests, and the fictitious Satanic rituals the team claims echo longstanding legends utilized to anger individuals for political reasons, frequently against minorities.
President Trump has allegedly commended the team as patriotic, and over a dozen Republican congressional candidates have encouraged it.
The team at Platform Executive hope you have enjoyed the ‘[post_title]’ article. Initial reporting via our official content partners at Thomson Reuters. Reporting by Joseph Menn in San Francisco. Editing by David Gregorio and Matthew Lewis.
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