We attended a meeting of mothers of zika-affected children in Maceio. Mom after mom raised concerns about YouTube-spread conspiracy theories. Had Zika come from vaccines? From genetically-modified mosquitoes?
-
Show this thread
-
YT videos had told these parents that their own choices might have caused their kids' disabilities. As a parent, what thought could be more painful? And once that doubt was lodged in their minds, many told us, they just couldn't get rid of it. Torture.
1 reply 4 retweets 24 likesShow this thread -
Gisleangela, the mother of a daughter with congenital zika syndrome, told me that after watching YouTube videos that claimed children got microcephaly from vaccines, “I was scared to give any more vaccines to my daughter.”
1 reply 2 retweets 13 likesShow this thread -
Luciana Brito, a psychologist who works with zika-affected families, helped us understand how the misinformation that had left parents like Gisleangela in despair is part of a broader ecosystem of online radicalization and hate.
1 reply 3 retweets 13 likesShow this thread -
Right-wing YouTubers had hijacked already-viral Zika conspiracies, and added a twist: Womens’ rights groups, they claimed, had helped engineer the virus as an excuse to impose mandatory abortions. “Right after they launch a video, we start receiving threats,” Luciana told me.
2 replies 7 retweets 23 likesShow this thread -
Those threats were so frequent that the police set up a special channel for her and her colleagues to report them. They filed reports only when they received threats that were especially serious — approximately once a week, she estimated.
1 reply 4 retweets 16 likesShow this thread -
The nightmare for everyone working on zika was that they could end up like Debora Diniz, a former coauthor of Luciana's and an expert on Zika & public health. A right-wing YouTuber singled her out, claiming she was part of a foreign-backed plot to legalize abortion.
1 reply 3 retweets 14 likesShow this thread -
He didn't threaten her directly. But his followers took the hint. Threats of rape and torture flooded her phone and email. They described how they would kill her, what would happen before she died. One read: “It’s God’s will that I will kill you. I will commit suicide after that”
1 reply 3 retweets 13 likesShow this thread -
Colleagues, friends, even her elderly parents began receiving threats, too, she told us. Some described her daily routines. Eventually, the police said they couldn't protect her. She fled the country.
1 reply 2 retweets 14 likesShow this thread -
This happens so often that Brazilians have taken to calling it "linchamento," or online lynching. And often it serves a political purpose. Just ask Valeria Borges, a teacher who was targeted by an ambitious young politician & YouTuber named Carlos Jordy.
2 replies 7 retweets 17 likesShow this thread
After Jordy posted a YouTube video featuring a recording of Valeria seeming to criticize Bolsonaro's followers, she was overwhelmed by terrifying threats. Jordy, on the other hand, gained national attention in right-wing political circles. He's now a federal lawmaker.
-
-
Replying to @amandataub @Max_Fisher
Would I be correct to assume that if a user watched videos from the NYTimes, they'd be shown more left wing content? Would you find that problematic?
0 replies 0 retweets 0 likesThanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.