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I investigated how pictures of Patricia’s feet became antivaxx propaganda after it was mistakenly claimed she was injured in the Pfizer vaccine trial.
Her illness had nothing to do with injections - but fuelled online disinformation. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-55179300
I investigated how pictures of Patricia’s feet became antivaxx propaganda after it was mistakenly claimed she was injured in the Pfizer vaccine trial.
Her illness had nothing to do with injections - but fuelled online disinformation. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-55179300
Patricia is suffering from an unexplained skin condition - but a misunderstanding about what might have caused it set off a chain of events that turned her foot into fodder for anti-vaccine activists.
Here’s how - more across @BBCNews TV, Radio and online today
Here’s how - more across @BBCNews TV, Radio and online today
The picture showed purple and red sores, swollen and oozing with pus.
“Supposedly this is a [vaccine] trial participant," read the post with it. "Ready to roll up your sleeve?"
Within a day, those same feet had been mentioned thousands of times on Twitter and Facebook.
“Supposedly this is a [vaccine] trial participant," read the post with it. "Ready to roll up your sleeve?"
Within a day, those same feet had been mentioned thousands of times on Twitter and Facebook.
The feet belong to Patricia - a woman in her 30s living in Texas. And it's true - she was a participant in a trial for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine that started to be administered on Tuesday.
I spent days trying to find her to investigate what had happened.
I spent days trying to find her to investigate what had happened.
It turns out Patricia never received the actual vaccine.
Medical records show that she received a placebo, a small injection of salt water - which dermatologists confirmed would not cause her skin condition.
Medical records show that she received a placebo, a small injection of salt water - which dermatologists confirmed would not cause her skin condition.
But that didn't stop activists twisting her story to advance their own agendas.
Screen grabs of the Go Fund Me Page featuring her feet mistakenly claiming she was injured in the vaccine trial were shared in antivaxx circles and by pseudoscience influencers across the world.
Screen grabs of the Go Fund Me Page featuring her feet mistakenly claiming she was injured in the vaccine trial were shared in antivaxx circles and by pseudoscience influencers across the world.
Patricia updated her Go Fund Me Page, but the pictures were still being shared online - spilling into parent and local groups.
"I have to assume some culpability for putting my story out there," she says. "You share it for one second and it can get picked up and go viral."
"I have to assume some culpability for putting my story out there," she says. "You share it for one second and it can get picked up and go viral."
With the help of a relative, the GoFundMe page - which was briefly removed over concerns it was promoting misinformation - is back up.
This time, it reads: "Patricia is still suffering from the painful skin condition on her feet; however, the cause has become unclear."
This time, it reads: "Patricia is still suffering from the painful skin condition on her feet; however, the cause has become unclear."
Patricia insists she never meant to deliberately deceive. She disabled her social media profiles because of the messages, and says she's particularly upset by the anti-vaccine lobby.
"The fact that these anti-vaxxers are using this to fuel their agenda is infuriating," she says.
"The fact that these anti-vaxxers are using this to fuel their agenda is infuriating," she says.
Patricia's story is one example of a recurring pattern. Fringe activists find a story that seems to supports their entrenched views, and spread it rapidly online, regardless of the underlying truth.
Patricia "wants this to all be over" - and to find the cause of her condition.
Patricia "wants this to all be over" - and to find the cause of her condition.
Worth highlighting how legitimate concerns about side effects and allergic reactions in the news today are worlds away from mistaken claims used to fuel disinformation about a coronavirus vaccine online.
Read this from @rachelschraer and @NickTriggle https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55244122
Read this from @rachelschraer and @NickTriggle https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55244122
As people begin to receive the vaccine, expect stories like Patricia’s to be twisted online to fuel online disinformation. Get in touch if you see one!
Very different to real side effects and reactions - this is how false claims are seized upon by those spreading conspiracies.
Very different to real side effects and reactions - this is how false claims are seized upon by those spreading conspiracies.
