A Change.org petition is calling on Instagram to de-platform Australian influencers Taylor Winterstein and Anna-Rose Richards for promoting COVID conspiracies and anti-vaccination rhetoric to their combined 143k followers.
The petition is titled, ‘Deplatform Anti-Vaxx Influencers – Taylor Winterstein, Anna Rose Richards’.
Both influencers have been very vocal about their anti-vaxxer opinions on social media and they even supported the anti-lockdown protests.
“The world has been devastated by COVID and we have all felt its impact,” the petition reads. “Over 4.5 million deaths with millions more suffering and with the highly infectious delta strain raging, we are still in the middle of it.
“Most of us are supporting our doctors, nurses, scientists and essential workers who are literally putting their lives on the line to keep us safe. We are wearing our masks, keeping our distance, staying home and getting vaccinated. And even though it has been really challenging and exhausting, we know that we can get through this if we take care of each other as a community.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CSbEKuJlRPF/
The petition then takes aim at anti-vaxxer influencers, writing: “Unfortunately, there are some people are spreading misinformation, anti-vaccine opinions and COVID conspiracy theories.”
She goes on to call out podcast host Anna-Rose Richards (@annarose_co) and WAG Taylor Winterstein (@tays_way_), both of whom have been sharing anti-vaxxer and anti-lockdown posts for some time now.
Anna-Rose recently spread misinformation about a Chatswood boy dying after being vaccinated, which has been debunked.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CS8vQQUl-29/
Anna-Rose also supported the anti-lockdown protests in an IGTV where she told her followers that the COVID numbers and stats are made up, and encouraged Aussies to start “a revolution.”
“When the numbers don’t add up, when the facts don’t lie, when the statistics are staring you in the face,” she said. “It’s time to say enough is enough. There are times to be complicit & follow the rules, & there are times to use judgement, vision & truth to guide you to know what is actually right & take decisive action. That time is now.”
As for Taylor, she attended the anti-lockdown protests in Sydney along with her NRL star husband Frank Winterstein and documented the day on Instagram, and even filmed police officers as they issued the couple with $1000 in fines for attending the COVID protest.
The author of the petition adds that despite the fact that she and others have reported “dangerous posts” shared by both ladies “on multiple occasions,” their “requests have been ignored.”
“They must be held accountable,” the petition adds. “Instagram needs to remove their platforms. They should not be allowed to have this space to share their harmful views.”
At the time of reporting, the petition has clocked 4,122 signatures, with the aim of reaching 5000.
We have reached out to both influencers for a statement.
