Summary

Jarrod Fidden, an Australian entrepreneur living in Ireland behind a conspiracy-themed dating app, now runs Wide Awake Media, a major climate denial account on X (formerly Twitter).

With over 500,000 followers, including high-profile figures, the account spreads anti-climate and conspiracy narratives while monetizing its content.

Experts note the platform’s lax policies under Elon Musk enable such accounts to thrive in echo chambers of disinformation.

Wide Awake Media exemplifies how conspiracists pivot to climate denial for relevance and profit, as climate disinformation continues to grow alongside rising awareness of the climate crisis.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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    15 days ago

    Some rich asshole?

    Yep, some rich asshole.

    I bet you he doesn’t have any kids. The article doesn’t seem to mention any unless I missed it.

  • ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world
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    15 days ago

    So Jarrod Fidden is behind the account. But let’s also acknowledge the full influence of Elon Musk in this too. The article hints at that. But Musk has a bigger hand than many acknowledge. It’s not only the lax moderation policies he’s imposed. His shitty, politically-driven, right-wing evangelizing and misinformation has emboldened and drawn in assholes like Fidden and ramped up their misinformation.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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      15 days ago

      It’s really amazing that a guy who thinks it’s his duty to impregnate women constantly doesn’t seem to give a shit about their future.

  • edric@lemm.ee
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    15 days ago

    an Australian entrepreneur living in Ireland behind a conspiracy-themed dating app

    That’s a mouthful. Also, it would be so ironic for Wide Awake Media to complain about woke stuff.

  • atzanteol@sh.itjust.works
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    15 days ago

    This is a bit of an aside but… What I find interesting is that people on Lemmy decry x/twitter’s “lax policies” and yet Lemmy has practically zero moderation. There are whole communities calling for the literal death of CEOs or even just people who drive cars.

    Which all supports the both-sideism that people here get all pissy over. They just can’t see that they are two sides of a coin. Communities here are just as violent and toxic - they just do it from a liberal rather than conservative pov.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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      15 days ago

      We delete threatening posts, people bitch. We don’t delete threatening posts, people bitch.

      For fuck’s sake, can you call get together and decide what we’re supposed to be doing?