NICKI ‘TESTICLES’ TALE JUST TIP OF ICEBERG...
THEY are rich and famous and believe they know more about the COVID-19 pandemic than doctors and scientists.
Some of the world’s biggest celebrities haven’t held back on sharing some of their most bizarre conspiracies surrounding the pandemic over the last year and a half.
Last month, rapper Nicki Minaj caused worldwide outrage after she claimed her asof-yet unidentified cousin’s friend in Trinidad, who was dumped at the altar by his wife-tobe because “the vaccine” — presumably for COVID-19 — allegedly made his testicles swell. Trinidad and Tobago’s health minister said two days later the claim was debunked after being investigated.
Two months earlier before Minaj made international headlines, Madonna decided to air her opinion on the COVID-19 pandemic, claiming to her 15 million followers on I nstagram that a vaccine existed but was being concealed. “They would rather let fear control the people and let t he rich get richer and the poor get poorer,” she said.
Instagram blurred the video, capt ioned it “false information” and linked users to a page debunking the bogus claim. Later, it deleted the post.
Days earlier it was the turn of Lewis Hamilton to skid into trouble by sharing an anti-vaxxer post, which suggested Bill Gates was lying about coronavirus vaccine trials.
Reassurance
The clip, which the Formula One driver shared with 18.3 million Instagram followers, shows Gates offering reassurance over potential vaccine side- effects and debunking false claims that any vaccine will be used to implant microchips in people.
The clip is captioned: “I remember when I told my first lie.”
After a backlash, Hamilton deleted the post and issued a statement praising Gates and backing a vaccine but expressing concern about “uncertainty” over side- effects from the potential coronavirus vaccine, which does not yet exist.
Some celebrities such as John Cusack, Amir Khan, Amanda Holden, Woody Harrelson and Wiz Khalifa have peddled the myth linking 5 G technology to coronavirus.
There is even a conspiracy theory that celebrities are being paid to say they have coronavirus.
The Irish media, including RTE hosts Ryan Tubridy and Claire Byrne, have all been accused of being paid by “Big Pharma” to promote the vaccine, something which is another blatant myth.
Heroes
Last year, Jedward became unlikely heroes after they engaged in a public Twitter spat with Jim Corr after he denounced wearing masks to his fans.
The twins — whose real names are John and Edward Grimes — criticised The Corrs guitarist after he expressed support for an anti-mask protest in Dublin — in a Twitter row that got increasingly personal.
Addressing all the demonstrators, as “selfish low lives”, the former X Factor stars turned their attentions to Corr after he posted a video of the protest praising the “great turnout”.
Alongside a poster showing Ireland’s official public health advice on coronavirus, Jedward wrote: “G’wan leave the whole country ‘breathless’ from Covid because of your idiotic behaviour.”
Former Xpose host Aisl ing O’Loughlin was eventually shut down by Instagram for spreading false information about COVID-19 to her followers earlier this year.
She littered her Instagram feed daily with suggestions that vaccines are “experimental” and that RTÉ stars have been paid off.
WHEN it comes to fake news online, a majority of people think internet service providers, social media platforms, search engines and the government all share responsibility for removing the misleading content.
But when asked who is most responsible, adults point to the reader, according to a recent poll.
But people aren’t exactly sure who carries the most responsibility, besides themselves, the poll found.
Search
A total of 67 per cent of respondents said search engines like Google are responsible for ensuring people are not exposed to fake news.
Sixty- six per cent said the same about the person reading the news.
Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter had 63 percent of people say they should act as gatekeepers, while 56 percent said the government has that responsibility.