QAnon has receded from social media – but it’s just hiding

Since the start of the year, Twitter and Facebook have removed tens of thousands of accounts, groups and pages dedicated to the QAnon conspiracy theory. But QAnon is far from winding down. Federal intelligence officials recently warned that its adherents could commit more violence, like the deadly Capitol insurrection on Jan 6. — AP

On the face of it, you might think that the QAnon conspiracy has largely disappeared from big social media sites. But that’s not quite the case.

True, you’re much less likely to find popular QAnon catchphrases like “great awakening”, “the storm” or “trust the plan” on Facebook these days. Facebook and Twitter have removed tens of thousands of accounts dedicated to the baseless conspiracy theory, which depicts former President Donald Trump as a hero fighting a secret battle against a sect of devil-worshipping paedophiles who dominate Hollywood, big business, the media and government.