Dear Telstra, Optus and Vodafone,

We need you to stop facilitating the spread of Covid-19 disinformation text messages.

Some people, like Craig Kelly, are using your networks to intentionally spread unfounded fear and doubt about vaccines, undermine public health safety messages, and are distorting facts to spread disinformation.

They are taking advantage of the pandemic and using it as an opportunity to build themselves a platform, grow their following and solicit donations from those they dupe.

The only reason they can do this is that you allow them to.

We're talking specifically about disinformation, not political campaign messages

Disinformation is false information spread deliberately to deceive. This is precisely what Craig Kelly is doing, framing vaccines as being dangerous and untested while sharing potentially hazardous, untested options as miracle cures.

Many other platforms deploy various tactics to help stop or slow the spread of disinformation, such as attaching warnings and overlaying links to trusted and neutral health sources. 

Everyone is entitled to make political statements and should not be silenced, but nobody has the right to spread false information that endangers lives.

We know you currently have the technology to stop them.

The process for distributing text messages in Australia is a relatively simple process, and there are many providers (typically called gateways) that can facilitate the campaign. 

All of these gateways however, will utilise the infrastructure of one of the three main carriers, Telstra, Optus or Vodafone.

These three carriers have in the past included infrastructure level blocks to prevent all kinds of damaging information to be sent via their networks, as per this example.

You have a moral obligation to end this.

If we don't reach herd immunity with vaccines, the results will be disastrous for our community.

It is unacceptable that you continue to allow people like Craig Kelly and the UAP to spread distorted and manipulated data via your network. 

Especially when these text messages serve only to steer the vulnerable away from trusted health sources and encourage them to follow those willing to manipulate their fears for political gain.

It's time you made this stop. 

 

We, therefore, call upon Telstra, Optus and Vodafone to publicly commit to:

• Ban mass SMS campaign that spread disinformation about the pandemic (even from politicians).

•  

  Discontinue service to any gateway provider that distributes such messages.