In 2020, amidst one of the deadliest seasons of the coronavirus pandemic, a man from West Virginia made the controversial decision to proceed with his Thanksgiving plans, refusing to adhere to the media’s “narrative” about the virus. Tragically, a year later, his wife succumbed to COVID-19 just before Christmas. Seeking solace, the man reached out on Facebook, requesting prayers for his children as they faced a sad holiday without their mother.
Unfortunately, someone, perhaps a friend of the man, captured screenshots of these posts and shared them on the “Herman Cain Award” Facebook page. This group’s members dedicate themselves to criticizing and ridiculing individuals who denied the existence or severity of COVID-19, only to later fall victim to the virus. The group’s name pays homage to Herman Cain, a figure in the Tea Party movement who displayed similar behavior.
Members of this group delved into the deceased’s Facebook page, leaving insensitive comments like “Another one bites the dust!” and “nAtUrAl ImMuNiTy.” Others resorted to posting laughing emojis or sharing a meme featuring Yoda. Shockingly, some even confronted friends and family members of the deceased with callous remarks, suggesting they didn’t pray hard enough or didn’t display enough support on social media.
The “Herman Cain Award” page has meticulously documented every profile it shared since September 2021, totaling 3,595 entries as of May this year. Interestingly, no new additions have been made since then, raising questions about the availability of new targets or the potential deterrence caused by the fear of online backlash.
While the “Herman Cain Award” page may have faded away around the same time the World Health Organization declared an end to the COVID-19 emergency, its influence and lingering effects remain on the internet. These peculiar online spaces with their unsettling practices persist, such as the #DiedSuddenly hashtag used by conspiracy theorists to twist family tragedies into supposed evidence against vaccines. Additionally, viral videos capturing people’s extreme reactions to disagreements contribute to the toxic post-vaccine discourse amplified by internet-enabled political schadenfreude. The recent surge in coronavirus cases and the upcoming presidential election only heighten these tensions.
To truly comprehend how this behavior became prevalent on mainstream platforms like Facebook, one must engage with the individuals partaking in it. Journalist Billy Ball, whose 6-year-old son tragically passed away from a cerebral-swelling condition, faced an added layer of grief when anti-vaccine activists flooded his social media accounts with baseless accusations that his child died as a result of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Some trolls even used animated GIFs to taunt Ball. The sheer audacity of these individuals, who not only entertained such ideas but also directed them at a grieving parent, boggles the mind.
Although much of this harassment happened on Twitter during Elon Musk’s tenure, where a commitment to “free speech” allowed such behavior to thrive, it’s important to note that internet anonymity isn’t solely responsible for enabling these actions. Many individuals responsible for harassing Ball and others did so under their real names and profile pictures, challenging the assumption that online anonymity necessarily breeds such cruelty.
Upon reaching out to some of the harassers who targeted grieving parents like Billy Ball, some opted not to engage in conversation. However, others were willing to discuss their motivations. Luke Portell, for example, defended a sarcastic tweet he posted when a representative’s teenage daughter passed away, implying her death was caused by the vaccine due to her father’s advocacy for vaccination. Portell believed that the vaccines were ineffective and urged people not to trust the government blindly.
Another individual, Dalton Stokes, voiced his belief that his actions were justified in targeting the liberal elite, as he saw them as deserving punishment for their handling of the pandemic. Stokes expressed no remorse about his cruelty, even predicting an impending civil war.
Conversely, Julie Collins, a Mississippi-based artist, stumbled upon one of Ball’s tweets by chance and responded with criticism of those involved in vaccine distribution, unintentionally adding to the already overwhelming chorus of attackers. Collins genuinely expressed sympathy for Ball’s devastating loss and emphasized her desire to challenge those in positions of power. Her lack of familiarity with social media dynamics highlighted a crucial aspect: the algorithms that dictate what content we see and engage with played a role in amplifying Ball’s story and attracting the attention of anti-vaccine extremists.
These extremists actively seek out stories of unexpected deaths, whether on social media or in news reports, and exploit them for their own purposes. In Ball’s case, his background as a journalist and his vocal support for vaccines made him a prime target. He had openly discussed vaccination and expressed excitement about receiving the vaccine, further fueling the zeal of his detractors.
Ultimately, understanding the prevalence of such behavior on mainstream platforms requires engaging with the individuals responsible. By delving into their motivations and thought processes, we can gain a deeper insight into the toxic culture that thrives online.
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