NewsUKHome News Coronavirus: Social media firms make $1bn a year from anti-vax followers, report says Poll finds that almost one in five British adults now say they would -- or would pose a health risk had risen dramatically during the pandemic. Despite pledges by Facebook and others to crack down on harmful posts, a report found that at least 57 million users now follow anti-vaxxers on mainstream platforms across the UK and US – up 7.7 million since the start of the outbreak. -- diseases from the UK, but some – like measles – have seen a resurgence when uptake has fallen. Studies have linked the trend to activism by online anti-vaxxers, who oppose immunisation because they believe it is either unnecessary, risky or harmful. Mr Ahmed said social media firms had “both powered and profited from” the spread of anti-vax theories, by amplifying them through algorithms and making money from advertising. “It’s an ideological dirty bomb that will spread toxic misinformation -- (Getty) The report called for firms to be fined if they fail to combat anti-vaxxers, but a new regulatory system proposed under the UK’s Online Harms Bill has not yet been considered by parliament. The CCDH said that changing medical advice during the coronavirus pandemic had provided the group an “opportunity to exploit” by seeking to discredit official health bodies. Its analysis of more than 400 anti-vax Facebook groups and pages, YouTube channels and Twitter and Instagram accounts found that some were selling fake cures for coronavirus and telling people not to seek medical treatment for symptoms. -- finds Private Facebook groups were found to be “radicalising sceptics into determined anti-vaxxers” by spreading emotional posts about supposedly ill or cured children without challenge. The CCDH documented one case where a mother said she feared her -- Other pages were selling substances they claimed would cure or prevent coronavirus, including silver, hormones and plant extracts. Some anti-vaxxers have moved into wider conspiracy theories, including those claiming that Microsoft founder Bill Gates created the pandemic, that vaccines cause Covid-19, and that tests for a coronavirus jab had made women infertile. Mr Ahmed said that the coronavirus outbreak had created a “perfect storm” for people to be drawn into anti-vax movements, as fear and confusion combined with increased isolation and time spent online. “There are some new groups springing up and there are more people -- EPA (BUTTON) The report found that both anti-vax campaigners and social media companies were profiting from increased interest during coronavirus. It said that through all their online activity, the followers of anti-vax accounts could be worth up to $1bn (£800m) in annual revenue for technology giants. Researchers found that Facebook and Instagram get up to $989m (£792m) in revenue, Twitter $5.6m (£4.5m) and YouTube $797,000 (£634,000). The report said that Facebook’s advertising library also showed that at least 28 anti-vax accounts had paid to place adverts on the platform, despite the firm pledging in March 2019 that “when we find ads that include misinformation about vaccinations, we will reject them”. YouTube has removed advertising from some anti-vax channels but not all, the report said, after it vowed to demonetise them in February last year. -- to target users with anti-vaccine conspiracy theories. The report accused social media giants had adopted “lenient” policies by making it harder to find anti-vax content rather than by removing it, and allowing activists to “successfully navigate weak policies to exploit the new opportunities coronavirus has presented”. Mr Ahmed said that long-standing anti-vax campaigners had “instrumentalised” the prospect of a Covid-19 vaccine after trying to claim that track and trace schemes were a cover for secretive monitoring. -- theories because they’re scared and confused, just as so many of us are,” he added. “But I would go beyond calling anti-vaxxers conspiracy theorists to say they are an extremist group that pose a national security risk.” Mr Ahmed said the movement “transcended left and right-wing boundaries” -- More about CoronavirusFacebookVaccinesanti-vaxxersanti-vaxxerInstagramTwitterYouTu bemisinformation Join our new commenting forum -- and see their replies [spinner_on_white.gif] Comments 1/3Social media firms ‘make $1bn a year from anti-vax followers’ (BUTTON) Social media firms ‘make $1bn a year from anti-vax followers’ Poll finds that almost one in five British adults now say they would refuse a Covid-19 vaccine Social media firms ‘make $1bn a year from anti-vax followers’ Conspiracy theorists at Hyde Park Corner on 16 May 2020 in London Getty Social media firms ‘make $1bn a year from anti-vax followers’ The various coronavirus vaccines under development may ultimately not include a successful candidate