5G Conspirators Destroy Towers, Twitter Retaliates
Earlier this year, conspiracy theorists raised a paranoid possibility: what if 5G created the coronavirus? Technology firms didn’t take it seriously until telecommunications providers stepped up their security game.
The Department of Homeland Security got involved with a confidential memo last week following a series of extremist attacks. Its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency found multiple attacks on cell towers across Europe.
However, the US hasn’t seen the same extent of attacks against physical 5G infrastructures with pandemic-linked accusations. Cybersecurity firms said the tactics used are gradually migrating to the US, so they’re now taking careful precautions.
Outspread conspiracies believe that the network’s equipment weakens the immune system. Some even claim it aided in spreading the coronavirus.
The biggest hit in technology news came in the form of harassment led by misinformation. Modern technology sure has rattled the market so much that it caught authorities’ attention.
People damaged more than 70 cell towers in the United Kingdom since the pandemic was a mere outbreak. British engineers faced harassment on the street because of the conspiracy.
Attackers recently disabled electrical breakers in more than 12 cell towers in Tennessee. Back in April, white supremacists were found encouraging others to arm drones to blow up towers.
There’s no legitimate link to COVID-19 with 5G with immune system suppression nor communication through radio waves. In fact, some countries with none of this technology still have rising coronavirus cases.
Twitter’s Move
Twitter recently came forth to prevent further information about the cause. The microblogging site now fact-checks tweets that link 5G and COVID-19 with a label showing facts linked to the pandemic.
In the link, the platform leads you to a page with the title No, 5G isn’t causing coronavirus. This page links users to news reports, fact-checkers, and government agencies that can prove this.
Some Tweets can contain disputed or misleading information related to COVID-19 that could cause harm. Because of this, the company introduced new labels and warning messages on them to provide the necessary context.
However, the company would only remove tweets when it attempts to persuade people into something that could cause harm. As per its policy update made back in April, Twitter wouldn’t enforce it on every respective tweet.
The company still sometimes applies the label with a lot of caution, even when these posts don’t “induce harm.” Searching for the phrase 5G corona in the site could take users to a series of tweets with the label.
