Here’s the bonkers conspiracy theory blaming 5G for the coronavirus

And finally, there are the conspiracy theorists who don’t believe 5G is connected at all to COVID-19. In actuality, they say, the media is covering this obviously false link solely as a distraction tactic. The media and government accomplices are trying to diminish and lump together the anti-5G folks who have otherwise-legitimate gripes about 5G causing non-COVID-19 health issues.

When did this start spreading?

As Buzzfeed documented, unverified videos about 5G from YouTubers and conspiracy theorists started emerging over the last year or so, dating back to the origins of 5G installations in major cities. These videos, which include titles like “Man Who Works on 5G Towers Exposes Dangers to Come,” and “5G Tower insane radiation levels – Up to 21 times higher than safe limits!” have been shared hundreds of thousands of times, and have especially permeated Facebook. Their publishing dates, Buzzfeed writes, coincided with “the British telecom company EE [announcing] 5G service in six cities across the United Kingdom.”

Since late January 2020, when COVID-19 morphed into an official pandemic, QAnon followers across social media platforms, as well as users on the r/conspiracy page, have spread their theories about potential links to 5G networks. The real-world results, beyond the cell tower destruction, are increasingly apparent. One Reddit user, whose husband works for a cable company, says he’s been fielding calls from people who want to cancel their Internet over 5G concerns. “One guy apparently told him that he only coughs when he’s on the Internet on his computer, but not when he’s on his phone,” the Reddit user added.

*** This article has been archived for your research. The original version from British GQ can be found here ***