Facebook appears to have a 5G conspiracy problem and right now it remains to be seen if anything is being done about it. 5G conspiracies are not new, but the rise in frequency in recent weeks is becoming alarming. One of the reasons for this recent rise is some linking the ongoing coronavirus pandemic to the rolling out of 5G.
5G is the latest wireless technology to come through and although it has yet to really become widespread available, that is slowly changing. While the technology does not fundamentally change compared to 4G LTE, the effects of it are expected to be massively amplified with more bandwidth and more immersive experiences possible. However, some have always questioned whether there are health-related issues with the rolling out of 5G, and those questions have become more apparent recently due to the spread of COVID-19.
Recently reported by various outlets, 5G conspiracy groups on Facebook are not only active, but in some cases, resulting in engineers being verbally and physically threatened for doing their jobs. As The Guardian reports, one group (that’s since been removed) encouraged members to destroy telecoms equipment and even had “leaderboards” for equipment that had already been destroyed. This is not just random acts of vandalism either, with social media posts showing how engineers and workers are being targeted due to the specific belief that 5G is somehow related to the ongoing pandemic.
Facebook Needs To Deal With 5G Misinformation
While the Tweet above highlights that the 5G conspiracy issue is not just a Facebook issue, the way groups operate on Facebook makes the platform an ideal breeding ground for conspiracies to continue to develop. Furthermore, while Facebook removed the one mentioned above, similar groups that are available for public viewing are not hard to find after a basic Google search, highlighting that Facebook removing one or two is not going to have much of an effect when so many remain live and easily accessible. While there is room for genuine discussion and questions over the long-term effects of any new technology, including 5G, the overwhelming consensus is that 5G does not cause any medical conditions directly. Let alone the recent suggestions that it is somehow causing the coronavirus outbreak that is now affecting most countries.
Besides the misinformation spread through these groups and posts, the increasing reports of attacks on engineers are extremely worrying. For starters, when most countries are in the midst of dealing with a global pandemic, stopping or reducing engineers from being able to work on phone lines is a dangerous game. Unlike 5G, coronavirus does continue to be a real and present danger, and now more than ever, people need access to their phones connections and the internet.
Source: The Guardian