Followers of a fringe group known as QAnon have been spinning negative sentiments and conspiracy theories online about Walt Disney Co., one of the best corporations in the U.S.
False narratives against Disney
False claims by posts on Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms said that Walt Disney had lost $636 million in theme park reservations and 350,000 people canceled their subscription to Disney streaming services. Some have linked a fake article stating that Walt Disney CEO has been arrested for child pornography and human trafficking.
Though many posts have been debunked and taken down by websites like Factcheck.org and PolitiFact, the abuse against the company has not slowed down on telegram channels and other forums where QAnon operates.
As per Bloomberg News, Walt Disney has drawn the ire of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on its opposition to a school bill that banned discussion on sexual orientation among the younger students in the state. DeSantis had signed legislation to dissolve its theme parks on April 22, which Disney used to operated in Florida since the 1960s.
The shares of Disney were already under pressure before the DeSantis feud, and this year a 25% drop in Disney was twice as much as S&P 500 index.
QAnon is a right-wing political movement that believes that secret Democrat pedophiles are taking over the country. They are convinced that there is a plot in the society to target children and have directed their anger at Disney when some internal videos surfaced where employees were discussing LBGTQ issues.
The bill which dissolved Disney’s special district was cited as a site where signs of the perversity of the company were evident. QAnon promoted its demonstration near Disney world on its channel, where dozens of protestors were seen. The vent was live-streamed and attended by far-right personalities like Laura Looner, a Congressional candidate. Others supported bombarding hotel reservations at Disney with phone calls to shut down.
The proponents of QAnon, active on social media and websites, claim that Disney’s opposition to the Florida Bill and various initiatives was meant to “groom” children. This term meant child abusers tactics, but some conservatives have used this word as indoctrination for accepting transgender and gay people.
Earlier also, QAnon had ventured into other issues such as Covid-19 vaccines mandates and lockdowns. In 2020, many QAnon believers made an effort to Netflix film “Cuties” by sending separate protest letters to CEO Reed Hastings demanding clarifications about the film, which focused on preteen girls and their sexuality. Some research firms feel that the protests cut into the subscriber base and growth.
It is rare to see a corporate giant like Disney being targeted for so long. QAnon members discuss ways how to bring down the company, such as boycotting or purchasing put options that would bring down the value of Disney’s shares. Others have tried to link Disney with Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted sex offender, which was Associated Press said was false.
