When conspiracy theories lead to assault and vandalism against vital facilities
As I work for Openreach, part of the BT group, it will probably not surprise anyone reading this to know that I am deeply disappointed at the stupidity of those people who are spreading the ridiculous conspiracy theory that the 5G network is somehow linked to the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.
I am beyond disappointed - in fact, incensed - that as a result of this preposterous myth, 39 Openreach or other BT people, who were going about their essential work of keeping the country connected, have been the target of verbal or physical assaults. And by "verbal assault" I don't mean a few rude words, but behaviour up to and including death threats.
Equally unacceptable, because damage to the telecommunications network can put lives at risk if it interferes with messages to the emergency services, is the fact that these conspiracy theories have also resulted in acts of vandalism against BT equipment such as signal masts. Eleven BT signal masts have been damaged or destroyed by arson; the total figure for masts belonging to all the all the Communications Providers in the UK which have been damaged or destroyed is 33.
Most of them didn't even carry 5G.
The latest mindless idiocy has been wrapping barbed wire around telephone poles - which only carry fixed line telephone and broadband services and have nothing whatsoever to do with mobile services whether 5G or any other kind - to try to stop our engineers climbing them to do their jobs
As the head of BT says in the message quoted below, everything about this is senseless. And it is hard to know how to use logic or reason to debunk something so utterly devoid of reality.
Philip Jansen, the CEO of BT released a statement about this at the weekend which has been carried by the Mail on Sunday and elsewhere and which I think is worth quoting in full. It reads as follows.
"When I first began to assess the potential impact of Covid-19 on our customers, our colleagues and our business, this was a situation that I never imagined: that our engineers and our networks would be under attack from people who truly believe, somehow, that 5G and Covid-19 are linked.
Our focus at BT has been on standing by the country – connecting the new Nightingale Hospitals, helping isolated patients speak with their loved ones, making sure our networks perform to keep everyone working and entertained, offering help to vulnerable customers and support to small businesses that face the challenge of a generation.
Yet as I write this, 39 engineers have been verbally or physically assaulted – including threats to kill. These are Government-designated key workers, out – with no small risk to their own health – to ensure that broadband and mobile networks keep working. Without these engineers fixing faults, adding capacity, and installing new lines, people lose their connection.
Now, more than ever, that connection is vital. Whether that's for home-schooling, working from home, or ordering food online, losing that connection is unthinkable to millions.
“Everything about this is senseless. There's no thought for the validity of the theories – many openly contradict themselves; all ignore the very basic principles of science.”
11 of our mobile masts have been destroyed or damaged through arson – and 33 across all operators in the UK so far. That may not sound a lot, but if the site that provides coverage to your house gets burned down, it matters.
If you can't call 999 or get through to a lonely parent to check they're okay, it matters. If your link to family, friends and the outside world when you're feeling truly isolated, gets destroyed because of a baseless and reckless conspiracy theory, it matters.
Everything about this is senseless. There's no thought for the validity of the theories – many openly contradict themselves; all ignore the very basic principles of science.
Some go so far as to assume that Covid-19 is an entirely fabricated virus; nothing but a cover-up for 5G. Oh, and by the way, most of the sites attacked don't even carry 5G.
The most bizarre theory, and one that brought a rare smile in these dark times, was that the wonderful tradition we've so quickly established of clapping at 8pm on a Thursday to show our appreciation for the NHS and other key workers, is actually done to create enough noise to mask the 'loud beeping' of 5G networks being tested.
This week, we've seen telephone poles wrapped in barbed wire to stop our engineers doing their job. Those poles carry fixed phone lines, they're nothing to do with mobile. It's hard to know where to begin to use science, logic or reason to debunk something so devoid of reality.
Small, private groups, particularly on Facebook and in WhatsApp, are where so many of these conspiracy theories are spread. Material from YouTube is often the go-to evidence for the claims. That the mainstream media either ignores or dismisses the theory is simply evidence to the believers that the theory must be true.
In the simplest terms, 5G is just a new radio network – like 4G, but better. It's a more efficient technology, delivering amazing new speeds for customers, but from the same radio waves that have been safely in use for decades. But it's difficult to understand, so it's an easy subject for conspiracy theorists to jump on and rally against.
“[Our engineers] are performing a vital service for the country; we should be thanking them, not harming them. This is my team and I will not tolerate them being targeted in this disgraceful way by a few mindless idiots.”
The most bizarre theory was that the clapping at 8pm on a Thursday for the NHS is actually done to create enough noise to mask the 'loud beeping' of 5G networks being tested.
So far, the impact has been minimal and to the vast majority of people it's just noise in some far corner of the internet.
This link to Covid-19, however, seems designed to cause maximum disruption. Now, more than ever, the country needs to be united. Listening to the authorities. Trusting the scientists. Staying connected. Instead, the advice of experts is being undermined. Fear is being spread.
It is hugely important that everyone comes together to stop this spread of harmful, dangerous misinformation.
We've seen a fantastic response from Government, from the World Health Organisation, and from the big social media and internet platforms – like Facebook, YouTube and Google. Their help is essential.
For me the most immediate concern is that my team – the brave, skilled engineers who are working to maintain vital communications networks – are being confronted, abused and sometimes attacked in the street.
These people are performing a vital service for the country; we should be thanking them, not harming them. This is my team and I will not tolerate them being targeted in this disgraceful way by a few mindless idiots.
We all need to be able to recognise conspiracy theories, and to stop them before they become harmful. They are just like a virus – if we starve them of the ability to reach new people, they will die out, and we can all focus on coming together as one nation to get through these most challenging of times.
Philip Jansen."
I am beyond disappointed - in fact, incensed - that as a result of this preposterous myth, 39 Openreach or other BT people, who were going about their essential work of keeping the country connected, have been the target of verbal or physical assaults. And by "verbal assault" I don't mean a few rude words, but behaviour up to and including death threats.
Equally unacceptable, because damage to the telecommunications network can put lives at risk if it interferes with messages to the emergency services, is the fact that these conspiracy theories have also resulted in acts of vandalism against BT equipment such as signal masts. Eleven BT signal masts have been damaged or destroyed by arson; the total figure for masts belonging to all the all the Communications Providers in the UK which have been damaged or destroyed is 33.
Most of them didn't even carry 5G.
The latest mindless idiocy has been wrapping barbed wire around telephone poles - which only carry fixed line telephone and broadband services and have nothing whatsoever to do with mobile services whether 5G or any other kind - to try to stop our engineers climbing them to do their jobs
As the head of BT says in the message quoted below, everything about this is senseless. And it is hard to know how to use logic or reason to debunk something so utterly devoid of reality.
Philip Jansen, the CEO of BT released a statement about this at the weekend which has been carried by the Mail on Sunday and elsewhere and which I think is worth quoting in full. It reads as follows.
"When I first began to assess the potential impact of Covid-19 on our customers, our colleagues and our business, this was a situation that I never imagined: that our engineers and our networks would be under attack from people who truly believe, somehow, that 5G and Covid-19 are linked.
Our focus at BT has been on standing by the country – connecting the new Nightingale Hospitals, helping isolated patients speak with their loved ones, making sure our networks perform to keep everyone working and entertained, offering help to vulnerable customers and support to small businesses that face the challenge of a generation.
Yet as I write this, 39 engineers have been verbally or physically assaulted – including threats to kill. These are Government-designated key workers, out – with no small risk to their own health – to ensure that broadband and mobile networks keep working. Without these engineers fixing faults, adding capacity, and installing new lines, people lose their connection.
Now, more than ever, that connection is vital. Whether that's for home-schooling, working from home, or ordering food online, losing that connection is unthinkable to millions.
“Everything about this is senseless. There's no thought for the validity of the theories – many openly contradict themselves; all ignore the very basic principles of science.”
11 of our mobile masts have been destroyed or damaged through arson – and 33 across all operators in the UK so far. That may not sound a lot, but if the site that provides coverage to your house gets burned down, it matters.
If you can't call 999 or get through to a lonely parent to check they're okay, it matters. If your link to family, friends and the outside world when you're feeling truly isolated, gets destroyed because of a baseless and reckless conspiracy theory, it matters.
Everything about this is senseless. There's no thought for the validity of the theories – many openly contradict themselves; all ignore the very basic principles of science.
Some go so far as to assume that Covid-19 is an entirely fabricated virus; nothing but a cover-up for 5G. Oh, and by the way, most of the sites attacked don't even carry 5G.
The most bizarre theory, and one that brought a rare smile in these dark times, was that the wonderful tradition we've so quickly established of clapping at 8pm on a Thursday to show our appreciation for the NHS and other key workers, is actually done to create enough noise to mask the 'loud beeping' of 5G networks being tested.
This week, we've seen telephone poles wrapped in barbed wire to stop our engineers doing their job. Those poles carry fixed phone lines, they're nothing to do with mobile. It's hard to know where to begin to use science, logic or reason to debunk something so devoid of reality.
Small, private groups, particularly on Facebook and in WhatsApp, are where so many of these conspiracy theories are spread. Material from YouTube is often the go-to evidence for the claims. That the mainstream media either ignores or dismisses the theory is simply evidence to the believers that the theory must be true.
In the simplest terms, 5G is just a new radio network – like 4G, but better. It's a more efficient technology, delivering amazing new speeds for customers, but from the same radio waves that have been safely in use for decades. But it's difficult to understand, so it's an easy subject for conspiracy theorists to jump on and rally against.
“[Our engineers] are performing a vital service for the country; we should be thanking them, not harming them. This is my team and I will not tolerate them being targeted in this disgraceful way by a few mindless idiots.”
The most bizarre theory was that the clapping at 8pm on a Thursday for the NHS is actually done to create enough noise to mask the 'loud beeping' of 5G networks being tested.
So far, the impact has been minimal and to the vast majority of people it's just noise in some far corner of the internet.
This link to Covid-19, however, seems designed to cause maximum disruption. Now, more than ever, the country needs to be united. Listening to the authorities. Trusting the scientists. Staying connected. Instead, the advice of experts is being undermined. Fear is being spread.
It is hugely important that everyone comes together to stop this spread of harmful, dangerous misinformation.
We've seen a fantastic response from Government, from the World Health Organisation, and from the big social media and internet platforms – like Facebook, YouTube and Google. Their help is essential.
For me the most immediate concern is that my team – the brave, skilled engineers who are working to maintain vital communications networks – are being confronted, abused and sometimes attacked in the street.
These people are performing a vital service for the country; we should be thanking them, not harming them. This is my team and I will not tolerate them being targeted in this disgraceful way by a few mindless idiots.
We all need to be able to recognise conspiracy theories, and to stop them before they become harmful. They are just like a virus – if we starve them of the ability to reach new people, they will die out, and we can all focus on coming together as one nation to get through these most challenging of times.
Philip Jansen."
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