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Trending: The Anti-Vax Files: France’s misinformation fight

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The Anti-Vax Files

27/03/2021 GMT

France’s misinformation fight

BBC World Service - Trending, The Anti-Vax Files, France’s misinformation fight

Meet the people behind a disinformation battle raging in France.

France is one of the most vaccine sceptical countries on earth. We meet the people behind the disinformation battle raging in the country.

France is one of the most vaccine sceptical countries in the world. A recent poll suggests just 40% of French people intend to take a Covid-19 vaccine, but what's fuelling the doubt?

We meet the superstar doctor whose anti-authoritarian zeal has inspired an army of devotees, and the conspiracy obsessed shaman with a huge following on social media.

Plus, the activists staging a fightback. “Marie” runs a pro-vaccine Facebook group aimed at countering disinformation but wants to remain anonymous following a string of death threats. And Tristan Mendes France works with the team behind “Conspiracy Watch”, a site that keeps a close eye on the spread of toxic information online.

Presenter: Mike Wendling
Reporter: Marianna Spring
Producer: Sam Judah

Trending: The Anti-Vax Files

We investigate how anti-vaccine activists have used social media to spread their message.

Scientists say only a vaccine will get us out of the pandemic. So why do some feel the anti-vax movement has grown stronger than ever over the last year?

In a new series from BBC Trending a team of disinformation reporters investigate how hard-core anti-vaccine activists have used social media to spread their message far and wide, capitalising on fear and mistrust to advance their own agendas during the pandemic.

BBC Trending: The Anti-Vax Files explores how the movement has manifested across the world, from France – portrayed as one of the most vaccine-sceptic countries in the world – to India, South Africa, and Germany. The team also uncovers the extraordinary stories of people fighting online against this misinformation and those who are actively promoting the facts and the science behind vaccination - often working without pay or institutional support.

The series will turn the spotlight on the world’s social media giants asking whether they turned a blind eye, or just acted too late in countering misinformation about vaccines. It will also look at more traditional sources of information – journalists, governments, and health officials – and ask whether they simply weren’t ready for the “infodemic” that was to come with the virus.

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