COVID-19: The Rise of Conspiracies, 5G Network and Other matters – John, Gospel Edoho | Nigeria Newspaper - Latest Nigeria News paper

8.4.20

COVID-19: The Rise of Conspiracies, 5G Network and Other matters – John, Gospel Edoho

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COVID-19: The Rise of Conspiracies, 5G Network and Other matters – John, Gospel Edoho
The Coronavirus pandemic has led to severe global conspiracy theories about the origin, scale of spread, prevention, treatment, deaths and other effects of the disease. The outbreak which started in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, has of 8th April 2020 confirmed more than 1.45 million cases in over 209 countries of the world and over 82,000 deaths. The hope is that more than 300,000 people have recovered and still recovering globally. After the initial outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many conspiracy theories emerged and are still emerging.


What is a conspiracy theory?
Conspiracy theory is a set of prepositions based on insufficient evidence. It terms to resist falsification of both evidence against the conspiracy and an absence of evidence, which all work together as a reinterpretation of the evidence of its truth whereby the conspiracy becomes a matter of faith rather than something that can be proved or disproved. Belief in conspiracy theories is generally based not on evidence. It conversely posits the existence of secretive coalitions of individuals and speculates on their alleged activities. That said!
Sociologist Türkay Salim Nefes underlines the political nature of conspiracy theories suggesting that one of the most important characteristics of these accounts is their attempt to unveil the "real but hidden" power relations in social groups. sociologically, some factors account for who believes a conspiracy. Such theories tend to get more traction among losers or the unsecured in society, for example, and the emphasis of conspiracy theories by political elites and religious leaders tends to increase belief among followers who have higher levels of conspiracy thinking. Like the 5G Network Saga, conspiracy theories have appeared in both social media and mainstream outlets heavily influenced by socio-political and religious forces.


 Discussion on 5G Network and the lots: 
A 5G network is a digital cellular network, in which the service area covered by providers is divided into small geographical areas called cells. 5G speeds will range from ~50Mbit/s to over 2Gbit/s at the start. It is called 5G because it is the fifth generation of wireless communications technologies supporting cellular data networks. Large scale adoption began in 2019 and today virtually every telecommunication service provider in the developed nations are upgrading its infrastructure to offer 5G functionality for communication devices such as mobile phones and advance technologies.

 In February 2020, BBC reported that conspiracy theorists on social media groups alleged a link between coronavirus and 5G mobile networks, claiming that COVID-19 outbreaks were directly caused by electromagnetic fields and the introduction of 5G and wireless technologies. Some alleged that the coronavirus outbreak was cover-up for a 5G-related illness.
 In early March 2020, Thomas Cowan, a medical practitioner who is trained as a physician and operates on probation with Medical Board of California, alleged that coronavirus is caused by 5G, based on his claims that African countries were not affected by the pandemic and Africa was not a 5G region. Whereas lately African countries also contacted the disease and have witnessed many deaths without the 5G presence in African nations. Cowan also alleged that the viruses were wastes from cells that are poisoned by electromagnetic fields and historical viral pandemics coincided with the major developments in radio technology. The video of his allegations went viral. Both the claims and the video, which were endorsed by a singer Keri Hilson, were criticized on social media and debunked by technologies in the field, such as Reuters, USA Today, Full Fact and American Public Health Association executive director Georges C. Benjamin.

 After telecommunications masts in several parts of the United Kingdom were torched, British Cabinet Officer Minister Michael Gove said the theory that COVID-19 virus may be spread by 5G wireless communication is “just nonsense, dangerous nonsense as well" Engineers had to resort to posting pleas on anti-5G Facebook groups asking to be spared abuse as they are not involved with maintaining mobile networks. Mobile UK said that the incidents were affecting attempts to maintain networks that support home working and provide critical connections to vulnerable customers, emergency services and hospitals. A widely circulated video shows people working for broadband company Community Fibre being abused by a woman who accuses them of installing 5G as part of a plan to kill the population.
Religious leaders have attributed this social theory that the 5G Mobile Network is another Antichrist to signal the end of the world, after past predictions of Hitler, Pope John Paul II, Saddam Hussein, King Juan Carlos of Spain, Osama bin laden, suspected existing potential individuals such as former President Barack Obama, Bill Gates. etc. Some other years were predicted for the end of the world before now, such as in 1948, 1992, 1998, 2000, and now again 2020. This are all conspiracy theories beating serious debate among religious scholars and theologians in their respect.


 YouTube has announced that it would reduce the amount of content claiming links between 5G and coronavirus. Videos that are conspiratorial about 5G that don't mention coronavirus would not be removed, though they might be considered "borderline content", removed from search recommendations and losing advertising revenue.

Vodafone has also announced that two Vodafone masts and two it shares with O2 had been targeted. The discredited theories had been shared online by several celebrities.
 Conspiracy theories may be emotionally satisfying, by assigning blame to a group to which the theorist does not belong and so absolving the theorist of moral or political responsibility in society. Like Roger Cohen in the New York Times has said, "captive minds; resort to conspiracy theory because it is the ultimate refuge of the powerless. If you cannot change your own life, it must be that some greater force controls the world." This is how conspiracy theories are formulated and manipulated. We must all censor information before spreading them and guide against fake news and hate speeches in the heat of the pandemic. At the moment there is no known vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for the novel coronavirus pandemic, but recommended preventive measures include hand washing, covering one's mouth when coughing, maintaining distance from other people, and monitoring and self-isolation for people who suspect they are infected.

Hope this helped...?
Stay Informed;
Stay Safe


John, Gospel Edoho
Social Worker, Academic and Industrial Consultant

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