Across the internet, a game of RFK Jr. telephone is underway.
News stories about Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services—as well as his own statements about his audacious plans to revamp America’s health—have become fodder for parody and cosplay accounts on mainstream sites like X and Instagram.
But those accounts’ posts, removed from those sites, are filtering down to right-wing channels, who now have an utterly baffling conception of the man and what he might do.
RFK, according to far-right channels, will unite the nation’s fast food CEOs at a summit the likes of which the nation hasn’t seen since Yalta, while removing corn syrup from baby’s diets, ending the cycle of crippling sugar addiction that Big Ag has forced upon us.
None of it is true.
The problem, as with most things on the internet these days, begins with X.
RFK Jr. doesn’t use his initials in his main account on the site.
His handle there is @RobertFKennedyJr. So when users search “RFK” they are served up a bevy of accounts, none of which are him, all of which, though, have paid for verification, lending each a dubious air of credulity.
Even when you type in his full name, RFK’s actual account is served up beneath a verified parody.
These posts have been engagement farming since his nomination, serving up “Breaking News” about his plans to ban Uncrustables, Starbucks, and Taco Bell, while hosting polls (further engagement) asking followers if they agree with them.
On Truth Social, a meme post discussing a potential Chipotle ban devolved into a debate about RFK Jr. supposedly singling out the chain.
“This is the stupidest thing I’ve read today! Are we supposed to believe Chipotle is more unhealthy than McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, Subway, KFC, Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Papa John’s…….” asked one person in response.
Fake RFK plans are cycling through social media
But all those chains were being singled out, allegedly, by RFK Jr. thanks to another dubious post, from another fake account, that dreamt up a fast food summit at the White House.
“Attention, all fast-food CEOs! Donald Trump and I are inviting you to the White House on January 23, 2025. Bring your best ideas because it’s time to clean up the menu,” the X post reads.
Filtered down to Gettr as Gospel, people praised RFK for his decisive actions on America’s health.
“This is what leadership looks like. Collaboration over a working lunch," responded a Gettr user.
A particularly intense fervor was worked up thanks to a post on Instagram from the account rfkennedyjr, which appears to be run by the company that did his social media during his presidential campaign, causing a mini scare about the health of infants.
The post from the account asked supporters if they agreed with RFK Jr.’s plan to remove high fructose corn syrup from baby formula.
While high-fructose corn syrup, this nation’s vicious life blood, is in lots of products, and RFK called it part of a “a formula for making you obese and diabetic,” babies aren’t being served up sugary milk substitutes.
But on right-wing sites, shared by other engagement farmers, devoid of context, people were furious.
“It needs removed from everything! It’s not natural for your body and your body doesn’t know how to process it!”
“Yes! It should be banned from EVERYTHING!”
And while formula can include corn syrup, it’s widely different from what people are freaking out over.
The fake quotes are being invented out of thin air
Other quotes seem to be invented out of thin air.
An extremely popular meme circulating on Truth Social, says “RFKjr Just said all medications sold in America should be MADE in America to ensure Quality and Security."
Something like that can rack up 5,000 likes and endorsements of a plan that's never existed.
“Yea becuase China could kill alot of Americans with meds tainted with fentanol,” wrote one.
“So much truth here it hurts! We really do need to stop taking medication from other countries! With all the viruses floating around it makes MORE than enough sense!” added another.
A comment like that doesn’t exist from RFK, instead originating from a website called AmericasBestPics.
Worse yet, these fake quotes are being filtered back up to these parody accounts.
On Truth Social, in November, a number of users latched on to a rumor about sodas.
“Breaking: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. allegedly intends to require CocaCola to begin using Cane Sugar instead of High-fructose Syrup at HHS secretary,” an image macro on the site reads.
“The thing I like about RFK Jr. is that he plans to make Americans more healthy not by changing the Americans, but by changing the companies that prey upon them,” wrote the user sharing the news about the plan.
This week, on Instagram, RFkennedyjr2024 put up a question asking followers if they supported his plan to change Coke.
Which then led it to filter down back down to right wing social media sites, an endless cycle of quotes RFK Jr. never said, being invented, repurposed, picked up, and recycled, all from accounts that aren’t him.
The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.
The post The never-ending RFK Jr. misinformation cycle appeared first on The Daily Dot.
from Tech https://ift.tt/plzgILn
0 Comments