conspiracy theory
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QAnon founder may have been identified thanks to machine learning
With help from machine learning software, computer scientists may have unmasked the identity of Q, the founder of the QAnon movement.
Oath Keepers leader charged with 'seditious conspiracy' for role in US Capitol breach
The Oath Keepers' founder and others have been charged over the US Capitol breach, but they had already faced online repercussions for months.
Recommended Reading: The real cost of the global chip shortage
Recommended Reading highlights the week's best long-form writing on technology and more.
Democrats ask Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to rework their suggestion algorithms
A group of more than 30 democratic lawmakers led by are calling on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to make substantive changes to their recommendation algorithms.
Patreon is the next tech giant to crack down on QAnon
Patreon is cracking down on QAnon by banning accounts that peddle the conspiracy theory.
TikTok is banning accounts that share QAnon-related content
Videos promoting the conspiracy theory violate the service's disinformation policy.
Even Peloton is cracking down on QAnon
Peloton has banned QAnon hashtags for allegedly promoting hate in its fitness community.
Facebook has banned QAnon
The QAnon conspiracy theory is no longer welcome on any of Facebook’s apps.
Twitter bans far-right extremist group the Oath Keepers
The group is one of the US's largest anti-government movements.
How to talk to people who believe in QAnon
There is no easy way to "get someone back" from QAnon, but there are ways to better your odds of getting through.
Facebook and Twitter push back against links to 'Plandemic' sequel
On Facebook, it has blocked links to a coronavirus conspiracy video that's filled with misinformation. YouTube is blocking uploads while Twitter sends people who click on links to a warning page first.
How QAnon went mainstream
What was once a fringe movement is more popular than ever.
Facebook removes massive QAnon group over hate and harassment claims
Facebook has removed a QAnon group with almost 200,000 members over repeated claims of hate and harassment.
TikTok blocks QAnon hashtags amid larger crackdown
TikTok has blocked hashtags associated with the QAnon conspiracy theory, but it's not removing the videos themselves.
Twitter bans thousands of QAnon accounts
Twitter is banning thousands of accounts associated with the QAnon and taking aggressive steps to limit the the conspiracy theory's spread.
Twitter clumsily fact-checks '5G corona' tweets
Twitter is applying fact-checking labels to seemingly any tweet mentioning 5G and coronavirus, even if there's no conspiracy talk.
Viral conspiracy theory video tests companies' misinformation policies
A viral video peddling conspiracy theories about the coronavirus is the latest flashpoint for social media platforms struggling to contain misinformation.
UK carriers would appreciate you not setting cell towers on fire
The arson attacks against 5G masts in the UK have become serious enough that carriers are joining together to put a stop to the incidents. EE, O2, Three and Vodafone have issued a joint statement both urging people not to set fire to cellular masts, threaten engineers or spread conspiracy theories falsely linking 5G to COVID-19. As the companies reiterated, cell networks are critical in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
YouTube will remove videos falsely linking COVID-19 to 5G
The rash of bogus conspiracy theories tying the COVID-19 pandemic to 5G has led to cell tower arson and threats against engineers, and YouTube is planning to crack down on that misinformation. The Google-owned service said it will remove videos that try to make the unsupported connection, as they violate recent policies banning videos promoting "medically unsubstantiated methods" of preventing coronavirus infections. However, it's stopping short of removing all 5G conspiracy videos.
No, 5G didn't start a pandemic
The advent of COVID-19 has sparked a whole new wave of paranoia among people who believe in the 5G conspiracy theory. Folks are suggesting newfangled wireless signals are somehow acting as a shepherd for the global pandemic. Or, worse, that 5G and the coronavirus are the tools of a shadowy new world order to turn us all into mindless zombies. Suffice to say, here's a patient explanation on why they're very, very wrong.