This Week in Misinformation: Vaccine Mandates (feat. Nicki Minaj), J6 Police Shenanigans, Cali Recall, Facebook PR Crisis, Lin Wood-Ivermectin
16 September 2021
Prism Metanews is a media company founded to help Americans become better consumers of the news as they consume the news. This newsletter is the paper of record for all that’s happening in the misinformation space each week, at once comprehensive for industry insiders and helpful for any citizen whose life is impacted by misinformation. Learn more on our Substack page, follow us on Twitter, or like us on Facebook!
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We’re going for a slimmer summary (“slimmary”?) this week. The links are all still below the break, but with so much happening in a whole seven days’ time we thought y’all would appreciate a snappier read. We’re also introducing quick-look reliability scores for media outlets cited in the summary, courtesy of the terrific folks at Ad Fontes Media. As always, email works both ways and we’d love to have your feedback.
Tonight, we’re hitting five big stories and leaving the rest for you to peruse.
First, President Biden announced a COVID-vaccine-or-weekly-testing mandate (New York Times, 44.72 reliability per Ad Fontes Media) for all companies with 100+ employees, triggering gale-force debates about whether vaccines can and should be administered to almost all Americans (the vaccines help much more than they hurt, according to the best data available to the Centers for Disease Control).
Biden framed his policy as being necessary to end the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been going badly in the United States (Washington Post, 43.83) following a brief improvement after the vaccines were rolled out.
Resistance from Biden’s opponents on the right was swift and strident, with accusations of an unprecedented, tyrannical power grab (National Review, 33.16). Apparently not minding that vaccine mandates are American institutions dating back to the Revolutionary War, and that most Americans support them (poll by Monmouth University), Republicans raced to ask the courts (The Hill, 44.85) to strike down Biden’s policy.
Some vaccine skeptics immediately began looking for ways to be exempted (CNN, 43.51), while others, including notably Nicki Minaj (Reuters, 48.95), took to social media to tell (not all true) stories about friends of relatives who had terrible reactions to the jab. The vaccines cleared clinical trials with tens of thousands of participants, and 380 million doses have since been administered with only rare incidence of side effects. It seems safe to say the vaccine is safe enough to take its place alongside the many others that we mandate as a condition of participating in society.
Profound repercussions of the election misinformation-fueled January 6th event were in full view this week, with much-anticipated answers to the question of whether police officers acted improperly that day and the fast approach of a much-watched (by law enforcement) rally calling for “justice” for those imprisoned after participating in the assault.
The U.S. Capitol Police concluded its investigation into officers who engaged in questionable conduct (Politico, 43,39) during the attack. The long-time friend of one police officer reported him for disclosing the secure location where lawmakers were moved that day (Insider, 43.43).
DC braced for the “Justice for J6” rally (ABC News, 46.65) that will hit its streets on Saturday. But the chatter about the event (NBC News, 45.65) on pro-Trump forums and the online misinformation swamps, which so much hyped the January original, was less than enthusiastic about September 18th. Many even called it a trap (Twitter account of NBC News reporter @oneunderscore__).
For a few days this week, all eyes seemed to gaze upon the left coast as California voted on the question of recalling Governor Gavin Newsom (NPR, 46.23) and replacing him with a Republican. The election became a major misinformation event, too, when the leading Republican contender, Larry Elder and others on the Republican side declared—before the election—that Democrats had rigged the election (Associated Press, 49.51).
There are plenty of experts ready to say that the California recall (and all elections, really) should be robustly audited (ABC News, 46.65) in order to bolster confidence in vote counts. What Republicans say about election fraud, though, especially when they say it before the contest happens, could stem more from how burdened their partisan identities have become with supporting Donald Trump’s evidence-free claim that he was cheated (poll by CNN, 43.51) out of a win last year.
Days before the election, the Elder campaign launched a website saying that Newsom had won, but only by cheating (Sacramento Bee, 45.03), and right-wing media outlets primed their audiences to believe that fraud was certain to occur (Twitter account of Fox News personality @TomiLahren).
Elder lost by an enormous margin and quickly conceded to Newsom (The Hill, 44.85). But that didn’t stop the misinformationists in Q world from confidently asserting the election was stolen (Twitter account of Q researcher @Dragnet_News). Some went as far as to say elections had become useless and so freedom-loving patriots had little choice but to take up arms to defend their way of life (Twitter account of Q researcher @ResearchFQX).
Facebook put on a brave face, but truly the week was a rough one after the Wall Street Journal (46.02) got its hands on a trove of leaked company documents. In a series of articles, the Journal showed that people inside Facebook understand the problems (Columbia Journalism Review, 43.60) the platform’s design and engagement-first business model give rise to—but that leadership has repeatedly refused to fix known issues.
Let’s back up and first cover some good things Facebook wanted everyone to know it was doing. Winners of misinformation and polarization research awards were announced. The company kicked a German disinformation network off its servers and changed the standard for what constitutes a “coordinated social harm” effort. Partnering with the International Fact-Checking Network, Facebook said it would launch a new grant program for researchers combating climate change misinformation and build out more resources to educate its users about climate change.
But it is hard to shake the feeling that this (uncommon!) deluge of corporate activity on the misinformation front was borne of (extreme?) corporate discomfort from the press bringing to light its none-too-laudable track record on this issue. In addition to the Wall Street Journal series, which uncovered how secret elites were effectively exempted from moderation policies, an algorithm change in 2018 ended up further incentivizing content that induces angry reactions, and all kinds of problems with drug cartels and human traffickers, the New York Times (44.72), Gizmodo (no rating), and others reported on the company’s failures to provide accurate data to misinformation researchers, keep “abortion reversal” ads out of minors’ news feeds, and rein in the TikTok misinformation and quack remedies that are running amok in its ivermectin groups.
Finally, we unfortunately have to cover a tragic episode in Illinois, where a woman who had been battling COVID died (VICE, 41.62). But before she passed, the Q gang inserted themselves into the situation, doing all they could to pressure the hospital into treating her, against her husband’s will, with… ivermectin.
The hospital received hundreds of harassing emails and phone calls (NBC News, 45.65), including one in which Q personality and attorney Lin Wood threatened the operator with murder charges (Twitter account of Reuters reporter @JanNWolfe).
At least one person showed up at the hospital demanding to be allowed to make a “wellness check” (Twitter account of Q researcher @2021_Karma).
Q forums followed the drama closely, embellishing and fabricating details along the way (Twitter account of Q researcher @dappergander), but there was no word after she died if Wood or others would pursue legal courses of action against the hospital staff.
Also in this edition: Trump quadruples down on sore losing (One America News, 26.41), the Arizona Supreme Court orders that the Cyber Ninjas must produce records from its “audit” (AZ Central, 43.97), a rogue voter canvassing effort in Maricopa County puts misinformation right on the cover page of its report (AZ Mirror, 43.70), and old, tired conspiracy theories cropped up (BBC, 46.42) as the anniversary of 9/11 approached.
That, and a lot more, below. This is This Week in Misinformation.
-- Kevin
JANUARY 6TH
UPDATE: USCP’s January 6 Internal Investigations (United States Capitol Police)
6 Capitol Police officers facing discipline for Jan. 6th actions, dozens absolved (Politico)
Capitol Police officers face discipline for selfies with rioters, internal documents show (Miami Herald)
Second Oath Keeper in largest Capitol riot conspiracy case set to plead guilty and cooperate (Washington Post)
Social media and telecom companies vague about their response to January 6 committee (CNN)
Fence going up around US Capitol, as law enforcement braces for Sept. 18 protest (ABC News)
What We Know About The Right-Wing Rally Planned For Sept. 18 (DCist)
Paranoia and accusations cloud efforts to launch 'Justice for January 6' rally (NBC News)
Let's talk about September 18 (@jaredlholt via Substack)
8kun owner and Q personality Jim Watkins tells follower not to go to the 18 September rally (@AlKapDC via Twitter)
Roger Stone advises Trump supporters not to go to the 18 September rally (@ZTPetrizzo via Twitter)
Pro-Trump forums are telling one another that any rally after 6 January is going to be a false flag to entrap them; upcoming rally has chilling effect on activity in the forums (@oneunderscore__ via Twitter)
ELECTIONS
President Trump Predicts 2020 Election Will Be Decertified (One America News)
Trump spokesperson lies about U.S. elections, says they are “Third World” and that Democrats rig them (@ddale8 via Twitter)
59% of GOP Voters Say 'Believing' Trump Won 2020 'Important' to Being a Republican: Poll (Newsweek)
Experts call for rigorous audit to protect California recall (ABC News)
Larry Elder prepares for California recall loss with lawyers, voter fraud website (Sacramento Bee)
GOP pushes unfounded fraud claims before California recall (Associated Press)
A Larry Elder-funded website that went live before the election states that Newsom won and asserts the recall election is rigged (@NovelSci via Twitter)
Republicans are laying the groundwork to lie that the California recall was stolen (@ddale8 via CNN)
Right wing media's latest misinformation campaign targets the California recall (@ramishahmaruf_ via CNN Business)
Days before the election, Tomi Lahren says on Fox that the “only way” for the California recall to fail is through voter fraud (@TomiLahren via Twitter)
The big lie has reached its lazy phase (Washington Post)
Sidney Powell says the California recall election is "marred by fraud," claiming that in one county, 70% of those who showed up to vote were told that they had already voted (@RightWingWatch via Twitter)
Sidney Powell’s claims about fraud are off by orders of magnitude; problems occurred at only two polling sites out of more than 100 in LA county, only one of which saw an estimate of 70% told they had already voted (@jennycohn1 via Twitter)
Elder concedes California recall: 'Stay tuned' (The Hill)
Telegram reacts after Elder concedes (@QOrigins via Twitter)
Thread: OAN coverage of California recall does not include the result of the election until hours after Elder concedes (@brianstelter via Twitter)
In Telegram poll, 97% of Ron Watkins’s followers say the California election was stolen (@Dragnet_News via Twitter)
On Telegram, Q participants say violence, bloodshed, revolution, and guerrilla war are justified, necessary, and inevitable after Elder’s loss in California (@ResearchFQX via Twitter)
Pa. Republicans are set to subpoena documents and hire a contractor for their 2020 election review (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
ARIZONA AUDIT
Fann statement on threats against legislators’ personal safety (@Garrett_Archer via Twitter)
Fann won’t answer if threats have been against those supportive of or opposed to her election review (@ben_giles via Twitter)
Arizona Supreme Court allows release of election audit records (Arizona Daily Star Tucson)
Senate President Fann tells Cyber Ninjas to 'immediately make available' records on election audit (AZ Central)
Attorney for the audit and a reporter’s source close to the audit say report will be made public Friday, 24 September (@Garrett_Archer and @weareoversight via Twitter)
Patrick Byrne says forensic audits that count ballots can be repeated but that isn’t where he thinks “the fraud is” (@Garrett_Archer via Twitter)
Voter ‘canvass’ features big allegations, zero evidence, outright falsehoods (AZ Mirror)
When the canvassers were confronted with reality about the not-vacant lot they featured on their report cover, they corrected with another picture that was also not a vacant lot (@Garrett_Archer via Twitter)
COVID — VACCINES
Biden Mandates Vaccines for Workers, Saying, ‘Our Patience Is Wearing Thin’ (New York Times)
The U.S. was a global leader in vaccinations. Now it’s falling behind. (Washington Post)
Security Guards to Accompany Mobile Vaccination Units After Harassment by Anti-Vaxxers (Newsweek)
Thread: Vaccine mandates in America are as old as the country itself (@NovelSci via Twitter)
Opinion: Biden’s Desperate COVID Overreach (National Review Editorial Board)
Fauci flip-flop on vaccine mandate hammered in new RNC ad (Fox News)
Opinion: Republicans Want the Freedom to Live in a Pandemic Forever (Matt Ford via The New Republic)
Vaccine Resisters Seek Religious Exemptions. But What Counts as Religious? (New York Times)
Biden challenges Republican governors who threaten to sue over vaccine mandates (Washington Post)
Biden steps into legal fight with vaccine mandates (The Hill)
New Yorkers react to Biden's vaccine mandate: 'It's going against everybody's will' (Fox News)
Poll: Majority Back Vaccine, Mask Mandates (Monmouth University)
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis threatens to fine state counties and cities over vaccine mandates (CNN)
Speakers at DeSantis news conference promoted false vaccine claims while governor stood by (Washington Post)
Delta Air says new COVID-19 policy is boosting worker vaccinations (Seattle Times)
L.A. school officials order sweeping student vaccine mandate, a first by a major district (Los Angeles Times)
L.A. County plans to require COVID-19 vaccinations at indoor bars, nightclubs, breweries, wineries (Los Angeles Times)
Thousands of LAPD employees plan to seek vaccine exemptions; police officials sue city over mandate (Washington Post)
How wellness influencers are fueling the anti-vaccine movement (Washington Post)
Right-wing vaccine disinformation is killing people, and the propagandists are furious Biden is fighting back (@MattGertz via Media Matters)
Fox News host Mark Levin, who has played down the deadliness of the virus to his audience, says "I am vaccinated, but that has nothing to do with anything" (@ZTPetrizzo via Twitter)
Nicki Minaj tweets coronavirus vaccine conspiracy theory, spotlighting struggle against misinformation (Washington Post)
Twitter Is Fine With Nicki Minaj Telling Her 22 Million Followers COVID Vaccines Cause Swollen Balls (@daithaigilbert via VICE)
Nicki Minaj's COVID-19 vaccine 'swollen testicles' claim is false, says Trinidad health minister (Reuters)
Nicki Minaj's COVID Vaccine Side Effect Claims False, Says Trinidad & Tobago Minister (Newsweek)
Nicki Minaj said Covid vaccine could make you impotent. Fauci shut her down. (NBC News)
Video: Tucker Carlson invites Nickie Minaj’s cousin’s friend onto his show (@Acyn via Twitter)
Double Check: Are COVID-19 Vaccines Dangerous For Under-16s? (LogicallyAI)
Call for investigation of menstrual changes after Covid jabs (BBC)
There are ways to identify the Delta variant (Full Fact)
Rep. Comer Demands Intel From Biden's Inconclusive COVID-19 Origin Report (Newsmax)
The Vaccinated Are Worried and Scientists Don’t Have Answers (Bloomberg)
COVID — NOT VACCINES
AMITA Hospital Targeted with ‘Hundreds' of Emails, Calls After Denying Patient Controversial Drug (NBC Chicago)
Video: Lin Wood records himself harassing the Illinois hospital over the phone (@JanNWolfe via Twitter)
Lin Wood posts on Telegram about the woman in the Illinois hospital giving power of attorney to “a representative” (@dappergander via Twitter)
Video: Someone records themselves demanding a police officer allow her to enter the Illinois hospital to perform a wellness check on the patient (@2021_Karma via Twitter)
QAnon Anti-Vaxxer Whose Followers Harassed Hospital for Ivermectin Dies of COVID-19 (@daithaigilbert via Twitter)
QAnon participants relay the Illinois hospital events to one another, adding creative details here and there (@dappergander via Twitter)
Anti-Vaxxers Are Now Gargling Iodine to Prevent Covid-19 (Rolling Stone)
Misinformation & mistrust thwarted COVID-19 exposure notification apps, GAO says (Tech Policy Press)
Most states have cut back public health powers amid pandemic (Associated Press)
PLATFORMS
Announcing the 2021 recipients of research awards in misinformation and polarization (Facebook)
Removing New Types of Harmful Networks (Facebook)
Facebook announces new policy against ‘coordinated social harm’ that may lower the bar on who gets banned (Washington Post)
Facebook launches investment to counter climate misinformation and resources to educate users about climate change (@Zhirji28 via Twitter)
Facebook and IFCN Announce Grant Program to Combat Climate Related Misinformation (Facebook)
Facebook Says Its Rules Apply to All. Company Documents Reveal a Secret Elite That’s Exempt. (Wall Street Journal)
Facebook Tried to Make Its Platform a Healthier Place. It Got Angrier Instead. (Wall Street Journal)
A Wall Street Journal breakdown of Facebook's ranking algorithm undercuts the company’s claims that "engagement isn't reach” (@kevinroose via Twitter)
Facebook Employees Flag Drug Cartels and Human Traffickers. The Company’s Response Is Weak, Documents Show. (Wall Street Journal)
Journal series reveals concerns, inaction at Facebook (Columbia Journalism Review)
Facebook keeps researching its own harms — and burying the findings (Washington Post)
Ivermectin groups on Facebook, function like anti-vaccine TikTok video aggregators, have turned against emergency rooms, promote vitamin remedies and non-COVID drugs (@oneunderscore__ via Twitter)
Facebook sent flawed data to misinformation researchers (New York Times)
Facebook Profits From Showing Teens Unethical 'Abortion Reversal' Ads (Gizmodo)
Why Facebook Won’t Stop Pushing Propaganda (Mother Jones)
Video: After Twitter permanently suspends pastor Greg Locke for violating terms of service, he says what was really behind it was his throwing of “gospel bombs, political bombs, and biblical bombs” (@RonFilipkowski via Twitter)
How “engagement” makes you vulnerable to manipulation and misinformation on social media (Nieman Lab)
QANON & COMPANY
Eventbrite suspended ticket sales of a Florida QAnon conference being organized by a Congressional candidate (@AlKapDC via Twitter)
Michael Flynn Pulls Out of QAnon Event in Las Vegas As Organizers Find New Venue (Newsweek)
I-Team: Las Vegas QAnon conference finds new home with major Trump supporter (KLAS Las Vegas)
QAnon Surfer Who Allegedly Killed His Kids With a Spear Gun Could Face Death Penalty (@daithaigilbert via VICE)
How an Oath Keeper brought QAnon to the masses (@clairenjax via Daily Dot)
QAnon influencer intheMatrixxx announce Arizona State Senator Wendy Rogers will be going on his show (@AlKapDC via Twitter)
How 9/11 truthers planted the seeds for QAnon (News Literacy Project Is That a Fact? podcast)
GOVERNMENT/PUBLIC POLICY
FEC says Twitter acted lawfully in restricting the New York Post’s article on Hunter Biden (CNBC)
Under G.O.P. Pressure, Tech Giants Are Empowered by Election Agency (New York Times)
GENERAL/OTHER
Every 9/11 anniversary, Building 7 conspiracy theories go viral on social media (@shayan via Twitter)
11 September 2001: The conspiracy theories still spreading after 20 years (BBC)
One WTC and a vaccine needle side-by-side: a conspiracy theory meme (@BadCOVID19Takes via Twitter)
The global effectiveness of fact-checking: Evidence from simultaneous experiments in Argentina, Nigeria, South Africa, and the United Kingdom (Ethan Porter and Thomas J. Wood via PNAS)
Warning on teachers' lack of Holocaust knowledge (BBC)
A horrifying new AI app swaps women into porn videos with a click (MIT Technology Review)
Video: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Vice Chairman grills the Secretary of State about someone at the White House turning President Biden’ microphone off (The Hill via Twitter)
Capitol Police Won’t Say if Officer Caught Reading Notorious Antisemitic Text Was Fired (@daithaigilbert via VICE)
Tucker Carlson says he lies when 'I'm really cornered or something' (The Hill)