
The Twitter hashtag #5GCoronavirus was trending in the UK on Friday following warnings from media regulator Ofcom that broadcasters face sanctions if they give airtime to potentially harmful views on the alleged causes and origins of Covid-19.
The move comes after a regional radio station in Uckfield, Sussex, in the south of England gave a platform to a woman claiming to be a “registered nurse” who alleged – without evidence – that the rollout of 5G in Wuhan, China was linked to the outbreak and the deadly virus had been formulated in a lab.
Such baseless conspiracy theories have spread like wildfire in recent weeks on social media and messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and NextDoor, an increasingly popular community website.
One video in particular, posted on Twitter on Thursday, showing a woman apparently harassing 5G installation workers in the street and alleging links between the cables and coronavirus provoked an avalanche of responses.
This country is finished. How are people thinking non ionizing radiation from 5g towers cause coronavirus. #5GCoronavirus #stupidengland #ToriesOut— Zain (@maestroZain) April 3, 2020
Think I lost some brain cells there from a quick glance at the #5GCoronavirus hashtag. It must be so exhausting thinking everything is a conspiracy— Sam Lott (@lammylott) April 3, 2020
Others online took a more playful approach to the conspiracy theory by inventing some even more ridiculous claims to underscore just how ludicrous it is, including advice to leave a £20 note at front doors if they don’t want the virus. Images were also posted mocking people taken in by the wild suggestions.
For any of you that don’t want to get the Corona 5-G virus please leave all new £20 notes at your front door or DM me to arrange for collection!!#5GCoronavirus #5GTOWERS pic.twitter.com/nJZGSCNSaE— Winston Ingram (@winstonrogers8) April 3, 2020
How you look if you genuinely believe 5G causes covid-19 #5GCoronavirus pic.twitter.com/Me5IUd7xJV— Adam Driver's Wife (@wokestofscrolls) April 3, 2020
Source: rt.com
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