This Reddit forum has been mocking unvaccinated people who die of Covid-19

It hasn't all been dark humour. Posts on this forum helped some look past misinformation they earlier believed to be true

Ever since Covid-19 came into existence in 2020, masks and lockdowns have become commonplace across the world. But a sizeable number of people chose to flout norms like masking and vaccinating, terming them pointless and a violation of their freedom.

While anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers engaged in heated debates with those on the other side, a forum on Reddit, or a subreddit, which was largely unnoticed until a few weeks ago was "chronicling" the deaths of individuals who publicly expressed their unwillingness to wear a mask or get vaccinated.

The subreddit in question – r/hermancainaward – has been at the centre of debates and discussions on ethics and morality, with many calling for Reddit to take it down.

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Created on September 21, 2020 by Bob, a University of California molecular biology graduate, r/hermancainaward describes itself as a community where members can suggest nominees who have "made public declaration of their anti-mask, anti-vax, or Covid-hoax views, followed by admission to hospital for Covid. The Award is granted upon the nominee's release from their Earthly shackles."

The subreddit is named in honour of Herman Cain, an American businessman and 2-12 Republican Presidential candidate who was a strong supporter of ex-US President Donald Trump. Cain was among the more prominent Americans who died from Covid-19 over a month after attending a Trump rally that observed no masking or social distancing.

Posts on r/hermancainaward range from those mockingly celebrating an anti-masker or anti-vaxxer's death to those detailing how such content helped them look past misinformation.

It can best be described as a community that bonds over schadenfreude, the German word that loosely translates to getting joy from other's misery.

The award is seen by many others as dehumanising anti-vaxxers/maskers as they too grieve the loss of their loved ones who died from not making up or getting jabbed.

On the other hand, a moderator told Insider that the forum served as a platform for people to express how frustrated they are about misinformation surrounding Covid-19 and vaccines. Another reason behind such a platform is to show naysayers that the danger posed by the pandemic is real and send out a message that they should get vaccinated if they don't want to see their loved ones receive a Herman Cain Award.

"Covid misinformation kills. We're documenting a pandemic of the unvaccinated," the moderator Rocky Moose told the publication.

The extent to which vaccine falsehood has spread in the US is such that YouTube, on Wednesday, decided to remove all anti-vaccine content. In July, US President Joe Biden had said that misinformation on social media was "killing people."

(The article has been updated with correction in the name of the founder of the Herman Cain Award)

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