QAnon is gaining ground in Australia due to a growing distrust in the government and media, part of which is rooted in a perceived lack of transparency over the coronavirus response and restrictions.
Sovereign citizens believe citizens are in an oppressive contract with the government, but that by declaring themselves ‘living’ or ‘natural’ people, they avoid being bound by certain rules or laws.
African policymakers should strenuously safeguard their right to choose from the widest possible range of technology options that suit their countries’ development needs.
Conspiracy theories about mobile phone technology have been circulating since the 1990s and the imagined potential of radio waves to remote control a population.
False news about 5G spread at breakneck speed on social networks, reinforcing the fears of people who already had suspicions about its effects on health.
From political ideologies, conspiracy theories or “reopen” protests, when faced with uncertainty, we seek reassurance in the face of mortality through efforts at containment.
As if attacks on health workers weren’t upsetting enough, reports indicate broadband engineers are now also being abused - as conspiracy theorists link 5G technology with to COVID-19’s spread.
Differences among the ‘Five Eyes’ over the tech company’s role in building 5G networks pose a threat to the long-standing Western consensus about how to manage relations with China.
Should we be concerned about the health effects of 5G? The short answer is no – there’s no substantiated evidence that the electromagnetic energy used by mobile telecommunications causes harm.
Choices the US, Australia and other nations make around how they set up 5G will determine how we use technology for collaboration, innovation and global business into the future.
Trump’s new executive order reflects a fear of sabotage, where an enemy such as China or Russia could turn off critical infrastructure like the internet or communications capability.
Professor in Law and Co-Convener National Security Hub (University of Canberra) and Research Fellow (adjunct) - The Security Institute for Governance and Leadership in Africa, Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University- NATO Fellow Asia-Pacific, University of Canberra