Multiple large QAnon accounts remain on Instagram despite alleged crackdown
Backup accounts are already being created for Instagram accounts related to QAnon
Written by Courtney Hagle & Kayla Gogarty
Research contributions from Rhea Bhatnagar
Published
Instagram recently confirmed it has removed several large accounts related to the QAnon conspiracy theory, but there are dozens of large pro-QAnon accounts still active on the platform, and users have created backup accounts for both removed and active accounts that are already gaining tens of thousands of followers.
On September 2, an Instagram spokesperson confirmed to BuzzFeed News that the platform, which is owned by Facebook, has removed several large accounts because of Facebook’s latest policy regarding QAnon and other movements tied to violence. Facebook announced the policy on August 19 after Twitter removed more than 7,000 accounts related to the conspiracy theory in late July.
Facebook’s policy says it will remove pages, groups, and Instagram accounts that include “discussions of potential violence, including when they use veiled language and symbols particular to the movement to do so.” The platform has reportedly banned about 900 Facebook pages and groups and limited the reach of over 10,000 Instagram accounts related to QAnon.
The social networks’ actions come as QAnon continues to pose an increasing threat; the conspiracy theory has been tied to acts of violence, including multiple murders and attempted kidnappings; it’s been listed as a potential domestic terrorism threat by the FBI; and it’s rooted itself in American politics, with President Donald Trump amplifying QAnon supporters and at least 78 current or former congressional candidates embracing it. The fringe conspiracy theory centers on the belief that Trump was working with then-special counsel Robert Mueller to take down the president’s perceived enemies in the “deep state,” which it claims is filled with elites who are pedophiles and devil-worshippers.
Before Facebook took action against QAnon-related content, Media Matters reviewed posts related to QAnon and its slogan -- “wwg1wga” (short for “where we go one, we go all”) -- from 24 public Instagram accounts that promote the conspiracy theory and found that they earned millions of interactions (likes, comments, shares).
Of these 24 accounts that Media Matters initially identified, 18 are still active on Instagram despite Facebook’s new policy against QAnon-related accounts. One account that Instagram removed reportedly created a second backup after its first was removed. Instagram also removed two of the 24 accounts, @qthewakeup and @qmaildrops, after they accumulated at least 240,000 followers each. But both of these accounts were prepared with backup accounts that have already gained tens of thousands of followers.
The 18 accounts that are still active on Instagram have a combined total of more than 1.3 million followers; one of them has over 276,000 followers, which is more than the number some of the accounts Instagram removed had.
Media Matters has also determined that at least 12 of the 18 accounts already have self-identified backup accounts in the event that Instagram enforces its policy and removes them. Some of these backup accounts already have tens of thousands of followers.
There are at least 39 additional active accounts that promote QAnon and have over 10,000 followers apiece. Some of these accounts are already promoting backup accounts.
These are the 18 Instagram accounts that Media Matters previously identified and are still active at time of publication:
@wwg1wga_
Over 276,000 followers
Its backup account has over 19,000 followers.
@qanon_obiwan
Over 154,000 followers
@redpillbabe
Over 137,000 followers
Its backup account has over 33,000 followers.
@qanonsociety
Over 99,000 followers
Its backup account has over 23,000 followers.
@hisnamewassethrich
Over 96,000 followers
@sheepn0more
Over 90,000 followers
Its backup account has over 3,000 followers.
@an0n661
Over 83,000 followers
@alphapunisher17
Over 66,000 followers
@anonbabe17
Over 65,000 followers
Its backup account has over 1,000 followers.
@ask_the_q
Over 65,000 followers
Its backup account has over 300 followers.
@ashlynn139
Over 58,000 followers
Its backup account has over 46,000 followers.
Both accounts are now private.
@mymaria777
Over 46,000 followers
Its backup account has over 4,000 followers.
@red_pill_fuel
Over 41,000 followers
Its backup account has over 13,000 followers.
The original account is now private.
@the_storm_doc
Over 28,000 followers
Its backup account has over 7,000 followers.
@shotonbothsides
Over 27,000 followers
@disconnectingfromthematrix
Over 20,000 followers
@sergeant_stickittooya
Over 16,000 followers
Its backup account has over 300 followers.
@savethewestq
Over 15,000 followers
Its backup account has over 400 followers.