Anti-vaccine groups still thriving on chat apps despite social media crackdown

[superadmin]

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 24 — With nearly 82 per cent of Malaysia’s adult population fully vaccinated for Covid-19, attention is turning to parts of the country that are still holding out against the vaccines.

Like many other countries, Malaysia has small but vocal groups opposed to Covid-19 vaccines, thanks to social media that has made it easier for such individuals to find one another.

With platforms such as Facebook and Twitter cracking down on anti-vaccination sentiments, however, such groups and individuals have turned to messaging services such as Telegram and WhatsApp, which are effectively unmoderated, to continue sharing their opposition.

On Telegram, for instance, a simple search using phrases such as “anti vaksin” and “anti vaxx” results in a plethora of groups discussing such themes.


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