Previously, the social network already banned a part of the QAnon groups for promoting violence.
Facebook classified the QAnon conspiracy theory movement as dangerous and began removing groups and pages linked to it, as well as Instagram accounts related to it, from the social network.
“Starting today, we will remove all pages, groups and accounts of Instagram and Facebook that represent QAnon, even if they do not contain violent content,” reported the social network.
Facebook and Instagram have become breeding grounds for QAnon in the past two years, with an estimated 4.5 million people in total joining related groups on social media before this August.
Facebook claimed that the new announcement is an update to the policy it created in August, which initially only removed accounts related to conspiracy theory that discussed violence, resulting in the blocking of some 1,500 pages, groups and profiles. .
“We are beginning to enforce this updated policy today and are removing the content accordingly, but this work will take time and should continue in the days and weeks to come. Our hazardous organization operations team will continue to enforce this policy and proactively detect the content to be removed rather than relying on user reports, “the company announced.
What is the theory about?
The movement, which in May 2019 was classified by the FBI as a possible threat of internal terrorism, after numerous incidents of violence, comes from an Internet user known as QAnon, who claims to have access to the high command of the US Government. and affirms that his publications are evidence that the elite of Washington officials, as well as Hollywood stars, not only plan a coup in the country, but are also participants in murders and satanic rituals, in addition to operating massive networks of pedophilia.
However, this conspiracy theory, unlike others such as the 'Pizzagate', argues that these problems are being solved by President Donald Trump, who works hand in hand with the US military leadership – according to QAnon – in a discreet way to arrest the members of the so-called 'Deep state', contrary to their Administration and involved in those alleged illegal activities.
According to the followers of the theory, who have adopted it as true and turned it into a movement, the tenant of the White House, through hidden messages in his public statements, lets them know that he is fulfilling his role as' vigilante '. Coincidentally, QAnon's first posts began in October 2017, days after Trump announced to reporters – without providing any explanation – that “a storm was coming.”
