against “anti-vax”, the response is organized on social networks

With the imminent arrival of a vaccine against Covid-19, the rumors of anti-vaccines are higher, the polls multiply … But the answer is there, it organizes itself, aware of leaving with delay and less words gaudy.

>> Read also: Covid-19: the vaccine is coming, the questions are pouring

They respond to conspiratorial messages on Facebook

“The anti-vax began to monopolize social networks long before we realized there was a problem of mistrust. So, they’re a big step ahead of everyone,” he summarizes, concisely, i Vaxxeus. Behind this name, a Facebook page followed by over 15,000 people, whose philosophy is clearly stated: “Vaccination is the greatest medical breakthrough. It has saved millions of lives. Don’t let the lies make you question its benefits.” Their technique? Respond tirelessly, to anti-vaccines, completely anonymously – the insulting messages got the better of their names – and get organized.

“Someone who comes up with prejudices on any subject has a 9 in 10 chance of being involved in conspiratorial sites”

With the appearance of Covid, “the answer begins to coordinate”, welcomes Anna *, one of the vaxxers. “But we don’t have the same visibility as anti-vax and the algorithms don’t help us.” “For example, someone who doubts will write [dans un moteur de recherche] + vaccine danger +. And there the algorithms immediately send you to conspiratorial sites! “.” Those who come with prejudices on any subject have a 9 in 10 chance of being embarked on conspiratorial sites, “he adds.

“The goal is to provide a counterweight”

So how do you fight? “We stay alert on social media, we look at everything that is published on vaccines: when the generalist media talk about it, we try to go and comment to point out the existence of pages that make pedagogy, we fight … remaining as calm as possible”. “Antivax often appeals to emotions, to fear … we rather try to touch the intellect. But people are used to thinking with their guts. So let’s try to mix … We realized that the comedy worked well on some but rejected others. We alternate humor, pedagogy, dialogue… “.

“The idea is not to go and convince the anti-vax, because giving up this belief in which they have invested a lot and which constitutes a lot of what they are would be almost impossible”

But why did you create a pro-vaccine page to address the antis? “Because we can’t go to their terrain: when we go to the anti-vax pages and groups, we get screwed quickly and well done,” explains Pierre *. “The idea is not to go and convince the anti-vax, because giving up this belief in which they have invested a lot and which constitutes much of what they are would be almost impossible”, abounds Jérémy Descoux, cardiologist, several tens of thousands of subscribe on his Youtube channel e his Twitter account. “The goal is to provide a counterweight,” adds this doctor whose videos are viewed thousands of times. “So that people who can doubt – which is legitimate – can have easily accessible, scientifically-based answers.”

An uneven fight, the cardiologist acknowledges: “It is much easier to capitalize on fear and provide simplistic answers than to explain complex situations. Coming up with reasonable speech is difficult: we can see it face to face. With simplistic and populist speeches, it is less sexy, less less showy “.

“It’s the people who die every time we drop these arguments”

What does this fight look like outside of social networks? It is “what works best”, estimates Jocelyn Raude, a social psychologist at the high school of public health: “to train general practitioners there on these questions. In this way we are able to significantly increase vaccination coverage”.

Be careful, however, because online “we cannot convince people who have strong anti-vaccine positions. The analyzes show that this also produces the opposite effect to that sought: it strengthens them in their arguments”. hesitant “form the majority of people skeptical about vaccines,” adds the researcher.

But the tide is rising, Dr. Descoux fears, who sees in his office “people who refuse to take medicine, refuse to be vaccinated against the flu when they have heart failure, do not want to wear a mask while they are at high risk … “. Fuel to continue Twitter videos and discussions? “Yes. We have to fight because it impacts and poisons our practice. And I don’t want to leave the ground to deadly speech. It’s the people who die every time we give up on these issues.”