Up until this year, far-right conspiracy movement QAnon largely existed on the internet’s fringes. Its origins can be traced to 2017 when an unidentified poster named ‘Q” began pushing coded theories on the dark web.
The core belief is that there is a cabal of Satan-worshipping pedophiles made up of global political, business, and Hollywood elites who run the world. Together they operate a child sex trafficking ring and are fighting President Donald Trump from bringing them down.
Today, against the backdrop of the worldwide pandemic, the spread of far-right thinking, and widespread uncertainty, QAnon’s narratives about anti-mask messaging and hashtags like #SavetheChildren have found their way into mainstream social media.
In this episode, senior journalist Jacqueline Maley is joined by deputy lifestyle editor Sophie Aubrey to discuss how a group with such dark origins has infiltrated Australia's wellness community.


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Up until this year, far-right conspiracy movement QAnon largely existed on the internet&rsquo;s fringes. Its origins can be traced to 2017 when an unidentified poster named &lsquo;Q&rdquo; began pushing coded theories on the dark web. The core belief is that there is a cabal of Satan-worshipping pedophiles made up of global political, business, and Hollywood elites who run the world. Together they operate a child sex trafficking ring and are fighting President Donald Trump from bringing them down. Today, against the backdrop of the worldwide pandemic, the spread of far-right thinking, and widespread uncertainty, QAnon&rsquo;s narratives about anti-mask messaging and hashtags like #SavetheChildren have found their way into mainstream social media. In this episode, senior journalist&nbsp;<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/by/jacqueline-maley-hve78" data-stringify-link="https://www.smh.com.au/by/jacqueline-maley-hve78" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Jacqueline Maley</a>&nbsp;is joined by deputy lifestyle editor <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/by/sophie-aubrey-h17wke">Sophie Aubrey</a> to discuss how a group with such dark origins has infiltrated Australia's wellness community.
 Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Becoming a subscriber also gets you exclusive behind-the-scenes content and invitations to special events.
Click on the links to subscribe to <a href="https://subscribe.smh.com.au/" data-stringify-link="https://subscribe.smh.com.au/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">The Sydney Morning Herald</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://subscribe.theage.com.au/" data-stringify-link="https://subscribe.theage.com.au/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">The Age</a>.

The Morning Edition (formerly Please Explain) brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition (formerly Please Explain) brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

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