Facebook says it will remove all QAnon groups, pages and Instagram accounts

Facebook had previously said it would only remove QAnon groups if they promoted violence.

In this May 14, 2020, file photo, a person carries a sign and wears a vest supporting QAnon at a protest in Olympia, Washington

In this May 14, 2020, file photo, a person carries a sign and wears a vest supporting QAnon at a protest in Olympia, Washington Source: AP

Facebook is tightening its policy against QAnon, the baseless conspiracy theory that paints US President Donald Trump as a secret warrior against a supposed child-trafficking ring run by celebrities and "deep state' government officials.

The company said on Tuesday that it will remove Facebook pages, groups and Instagram accounts for "representing QAnon" - even if they don't promote violence.

Facebook did not immediately explain what it means for Facebook groups to "represent" QAnon.

Less than two months ago, Facebook said it would stop promoting the group and its adherents, although it faltered with spotty enforcement. 

It said it would only remove QAnon groups if they promote violence. That is no longer the case.
The company said it is starting to enforce the policy as of Tuesday but cautioned that it "will take time and will continue in the coming days and weeks".

The QAnon phenomenon has sprawled across a patchwork of secret Facebook groups, Twitter accounts and YouTube videos in recent years.

QAnon has been linked to real-world violence such as criminal reports of kidnapping and dangerous claims that the coronavirus is a hoax.

But the conspiracy theory has also seeped into mainstream politics. Several Republican running for Congress this year are QAnon-friendly.
By the time Facebook and other social media companies began enforcing - however limited - policies against QAnon, critics said it was largely too late.

Reddit, which began banning QAnon groups in 2018, was well ahead, and to date it has largely avoided having a notable QAnon presence on its platform.

Twitter did not immediately respond to a message for comment on Tuesday.


Share
2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP, SBS


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world