Two-thirds of the information about the dangers of vaccines on social networks is spread by only 12 leaders of online public opinion, who have a large number of subscribers and followers, according to a study by the British NGO Center for the Fight against Digital Hate (CCDH).

Excerpts from the study were published by the British television Sky News which informs that, according to the non-governmental organization, these people live mostly in the United States and claim to be politicians or doctors. The organization did not release their names.

Unlike people who describe themselves as indecisive or skeptical about the benefits of vaccination, antivaccines use aggressive methods to persuade others not to get vaccinated, the study said. It is stated that after the companies that manage the social networks started to fight against the anti-vaccine propaganda, a large amount of materials was removed.

However, the CCDH warns that some information continues to circulate on the Internet and that opponents of vaccines often appear under other names or on the pages of other users, allowing them to circumvent publishing bans. Imran Ahmed, executive director of CCDH, called on social media to quickly remove information that sows public fear that vaccines have made people more vulnerable to coronavirus infection, leading to infertility and increasing the risk of hospitalization.

- All internet platforms make sure that people spend as much time on them as possible so that they can show them as many ads as possible at the same time. Therefore, they are not too determined to take action, he said in a television interview.

Source: MIA