Telegram and Covid-19: Reopening the door to a secretive parallel universe

The Great Reopening conspiracy theory movement has been flourishing on Telegram, a messaging app widely used throughout Europe by disaffected groups and peddlers of Covid-19 denialism. Now it has found its way to Ireland

Protests against the coronavirus restrictions in Germany, like this one in Berlin, have fueled the growth in Telegram groups that have distributed flyers in every major city across 16 states Picture: Getty

The main Irish Telegram group of the Great Reopening movement was humming with activity recently when one member delivered what he considered to be some home truths.

"Here’s some realism lads,” the user, Ciaran, wrote to the 1,350 or so other members.

“We’re gonna have to grit through this until the beginning of next year at the very least before the majority of our peers start to question things . . . The Spanish flu ...