Disinformation in Aotearoa has escalated since Delta outbreak

Conspiracy theories about Covid-19 have dramatically escalated since Delta arrived in New Zealand in late August, Stuff reports. The Disinformation Project has been monitoring misinformation and disinformation about Covid-19 and the vaccine since February 2020. This has included “the seed and spread of ‘dangerous speech’, hateful expression, and criminal behaviour”. Its latest report, monitoring the period from August 17 to November 5, shows “a trajectory of growth and spread that is increasing, widening, and deepening every week”. Language used had also become increasingly violent in the past 12 weeks.