Opinion | What is QAnon and why is it attracting so many followers in Australia?
- QAnon conspiracy theories range from Microsoft founder Bill Gates exploiting coronavirus to implant microchips in people to governments erecting 5G towers during lockdown to surveil the population
- Facebook has sought to reduce the organising ability of the QAnon community but so far such crackdowns seem to have had little effect on the spread of misinformation
On September 5, a coalition of online groups are planning an Australia-wide action called the “Day of Freedom”. The organisers claim hundreds of thousands will join them on the streets in defiance of restrictions on group gatherings and mask-wearing mandates.
Some online supporters believe stage five lockdown will be introduced in Melbourne the following week and the “Day of Freedom” is the last chance for Australians to stand up to an increasingly tyrannical government.
The action is the latest in a series of protests in Australia against the government’s Covid-19 restrictions. The main issues brought up during these protests centre around 5G, government surveillance, freedom of movement and, of course, vaccinations.
And one general conspiracy theory now unites these disparate groups: QAnon.