Read on Twitter
We're now hearing multiple cases of people refusing to get the coronavirus vaccine due to the false coronavirus vaccine microchip conspiracy theory -- which came from social media. https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/bill-gates-coronavirus-conspiracy-theory-spread-social-media-and-then-fox-news https://www.huffpost.com/entry/children-of-qanon-believers_n_601078e9c5b6c5586aa49077
The conspiracy theory started going viral about 11 months ago. Social media platforms didn't even try to crack down on it until late in the year -- & even then enforcement has been lacking. https://www.mediamatters.org/coronavirus-covid-19/youtube-and-facebook-allowed-another-covid-19-conspiracy-theory-video-go-viral
It was clear soon after the conspiracy theory went viral how dangerous it was. And yet the platforms allowed it to spread without any response for months. And now we're seeing people refusing to get the vaccine as a result. https://twitter.com/AlKapDC/status/1258161815432966144
Also worth noting that the conspiracy theory even influenced a man to sabotage a shipment of the vaccines. https://twitter.com/oneunderscore__/status/1355990583848939523?s=19
And now here are cases of people in Latino communities invoking this false conspiracy theory as a reason to not get the vaccine. https://washingtonpost.com/local/latino-vaccine-misinformation-coronavirus/2021/02/11/40731dc6-64a3-11eb-8468-21bc48f07fe5_story.html
Yet another story of someone worried about a family member believing the vaccine microchip conspiracy theory. Again, this is directly from the social media platforms. https://washingtonpost.com/nation/interactive/2021/conspiracy-theories-qanon-family-members/?tid=ss_tw
An infectious-disease specialist on his patients: "They ask about the Bill Gates microchip, too."
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/02/vaccine-hesitancy-isnt-just-one-thing/618164/
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/02/vaccine-hesitancy-isnt-just-one-thing/618164/
"I’m not afraid that there’s a chip in [the coronavirus vaccine],” she said, which is exactly what Mark’s wife thinks," who "is completely unwilling to get [the vaccine]." https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/scaachikoul/qanon-believers-turning-away-from-trump
!["I’m not afraid that there’s a chip in [the coronavirus vaccine],” she said, which is exactly what Mark’s wife thinks," who "is completely unwilling to get [the vaccine]." https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/scaachikoul/qanon-believers-turning-away-from-trump](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Exk9qx9WUAAdVgU.png "\"I’m not afraid that there’s a chip in [the coronavirus vaccine],” she said, which is exactly what Mark’s wife thinks,\" who \"is completely unwilling to get [the vaccine].\" https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/scaachikoul/qanon-believers-turning-away-from-trump")
!["I’m not afraid that there’s a chip in [the coronavirus vaccine],” she said, which is exactly what Mark’s wife thinks," who "is completely unwilling to get [the vaccine]." https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/scaachikoul/qanon-believers-turning-away-from-trump](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Exk917WWgAIGeg6.png "\"I’m not afraid that there’s a chip in [the coronavirus vaccine],” she said, which is exactly what Mark’s wife thinks,\" who \"is completely unwilling to get [the vaccine].\" https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/scaachikoul/qanon-believers-turning-away-from-trump")
Multiple cases of veterans refusing to get coronavirus vaccines because of the microchip conspiracy theory. https://washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/04/17/veterans-coronavirus-vaccine/
"Bui recalled a recent online town hall where questions about the vaccine were filled with misinformation pulled from YouTube, including concerns about vaccines containing government tracking devices."
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/katejohnston2/vietnamese-american-youtube-misinformation-covid-vaccine
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/katejohnston2/vietnamese-american-youtube-misinformation-covid-vaccine
A poll found that one in three people who are refusing the vaccine believe the microchip conspiracy theory. https://twitter.com/saletan/status/1387378902507655169
Here's a couple in Tennessee who have been hesitating to take the vaccine in part due to the microchip conspiracy theory. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/30/health/covid-vaccine-hesitancy-white-republican.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes
