Closed messaging services such as Telegram has undoubtedly made it easier for people to connect with each other and join groups and channels that suit their ideas and beliefs.
However, this has also led to the emergence of a number of despicable Telegram groups in the past which involved some heinous acts including child pornography, unconsented sharing of pictures and videos of women and even a foot fetish group sharing unconsented images.
Now in the age of Covid-19, anti-vaxxers have utilised the same approaches and banded together in various Telegram groups in order to share their beliefs and spread their ideology.
In a viral Twitter post by Amar Asyraf which condemned anti-vaxxers, a netizen shared a link to a Telegram group for anti-vaxxers. In the tweet, the user says, “The most brutal anti-vaccine group I have ever entered. Doesn’t make sense. Everyone should lecture the members of this group. Report them too.”
The Telegram group which is named ‘Malaysia Covid Vaccine Awareness Chat‘ was created on 11 May 2021 currently consists of more than 4,500 members. In its description, it writes, “Great Awakening; Exposing information that mainstream media wonāt cover.”
Netizens first shared the link to the group via Twitter on 22 August but after netizens poured in to post messages condemning the anti-vaxxers, the group was made private.
However, WORLD OF BUZZ managed to infiltrate the group and obtain some of the posts, photos and videos which members have posted.
In one of the pinned posts, the founder of the group laid down some pointers for its members.
“Our purpose is to create awareness of these experimental (poison) vaccines.”
It also says, “We believe that Covid-19 and mass vaccinations are no longer just a health issue. It involves political and globalism agenda.”
In another pinned post, the founder of the group says, “Remember, it’s not our job to wake others up. It’s our job to stay awakened.”
On the topic of fully vaccinated citizens being allowed to dine-in, one member said, “Just give them the chance of dining in for one or two years. After that, they’ll be dining in with the angels in their graves.”
Another said, “Let’s give them a chance. They probably won’t live long anyway.”
One member suggested that they should ‘teach’ restaurants that only accept fully vaccinated customers by leaving them a bad review on Google.
One of the admins said, “The issue is that most of the younger generations have taken their vaccines. Perhaps they won’t have any descendants.”
The members also refer to pro-vaxxers as sheep or lab rats or vaxholes and poke fun and provoke any pro-vaxxer who enters the group.
“With them joining here its fun to see their stupidity.”
One user said, ” Yes they entertain us.”
To make matters worse, based on reports from Twitter users and from our own findings, this is not the only anti-vax group on Telegram.Ā Several other groups exist and consist of hundreds and thousands of members.
While we’re all allowed to have our own beliefs, it’s important to look at all aspects and back our theories with proper research and information. Blindly believing in conspiracy theories is definitely not the way to go.
So please do your self and the society a favour by getting vaccinated so we can get through this pandemic.
What do you think about this? Let us know in the comments!
