I've spent years warning that the COVID "Lab Leak" idea had moved from "valid hypothesis" to "dangerous conspiracy theory."

[rebeccawatson@mstdn.social]

I've spent years warning that the COVID "Lab Leak" idea had moved from "valid hypothesis" to "dangerous conspiracy theory." Last week, the Trump administration violently arrested a retired 78-year old scientist bc of his refusal to lie about COVID's natural origins https://skepchick.org/2026/05/trump-just-arrested-a-scientist-over-the-lab-leak/

[mfennvt@mastodon.world]

@rebeccawatson Good to see you back here!

[phosphenes@glasgow.social]

@rebeccawatson

You said you got suspended from Mastodon for wrong speak.

Did you try migrating to any other instances? I'm wondering how that plays out in practice as opposed to YouTube/TikTok bans which have no workaround.

[saeed200@mastodon.social]

@rebeccawatson Yes, this doesn't need proving; it's not natural for something to happen suddenly and originate from a country like China. No one benefited from COVID except one person and one country, and they are known to everyone.

[gimulnautti@mastodon.green]

@rebeccawatson What the absolutely fascist bullshit…

To fake efficiency, an impotent and cluess government must acquire scapegoats, and punish them.

[johns_priv@mastodon.social]

@rebeccawatson To me, the main problem is the gullible people for whom they're doing all this. The "see, they arrested him, they wouldn't do that without reason" people.

In the current world, being ignorant is a choice, so yes... I blame them cause their vote affected not only the US, but the whole world.

[mae@is.badat.dev]

@rebeccawatson was there ever a time where it was something regular people discussed and it wasn't a conspiracy theory

[rebeccawatson@mstdn.social]

@Mae Yes, you can see my previous videos on it. https://skepchick.org/2021/06/why-the-lab-leak-hypothesis-is-so-controversial-theres-no-evidence/

[rebeccawatson@mstdn.social]

@Phosphenes no, I didn't care that much

[stellarskylark@solarpunk.moe]

@Mae for a time yeah I remember it being considered a scientifically-valid hypothesis that was just disproportionately popular among conspiracy theorist types who decide what's true exclusively by what would make the best plot in a thriller

[nmba@mstdn.ca]

@rebeccawatson
All part of this maga disinformation campaign

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/6/14/pentagon-ran-secret-anti-vax-campaign-to-undermine-china-during-pandemic