Observations of The Infamous Dr. Graham Bottley (Part One)

Has Dr Graham Bottley achieved fame for his immunological expertise or infamy due to his behaviour over the last few years on Twitter?

He has claimed to be working on several SARS-CoV-2 projects since Dec 2020. Yet has produced no evidence of this. Instead he has built quite the reputation as being nothing more than a narcissistic troll. 

I don’t use the word narcissistic lightly. Unlike Bottley I don’t do mental health diagnosis based on a couple of tweets written by someone I disagree with. But my opinion is not based merely on a couple of tweets but on hundreds. 

His narcissistic traits shout out from almost every tweet he writes. His self proclaimed achievements and talents getting bigger and more outlandish. His lack of self awareness as he states “I am never wrong” whilst changing his stance more often than he changes his fleece jacket.

His addiction to twitter, seems to be due to the fact he can relay his fantasies about his success, achievements, and brilliance. Where he can claim superiority over all others. Where he can bully, and name call, from behind his keyboard without consequences . Where he can block and mute anyone who dares to question him. 

Whereas in the real world, he is a man who left academia before ever reaching his potential, then failed to hold down a job and is the type who would squirm his way out of a face to face confrontation.

He insults scientists far more accredited than himself. Calling them liars, grifters, frauds and denouncing their qualifications. Threatening GPs and doctors with suspension or having their licenses revoked. And in my opinion, worst of all using head injuries & mental health as slurs and making jibes about people needing sectioning. 

Therefore I will begin with his obsession with head injuries and mental illness. Ask yourself does this sound like a professional person? Is this really the calibre of scientist you want involved in solving the current health crisis…

Mental Health & Head Injuries Insults

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It’s deeply upsetting reviewing Bottley’s ‘mental health/head injury’ tweets. You have to wonder how it felt to be the person on the receiving end. Or how it feels for someone who is suffering from mental health problems or has suffered a head injury and the impact it has on their lives. Only to have their disability used as a form of ridicule.

It is never appropriate to mock disability or use a disability as an insult or slur. I didn’t think anyone still did in the 21st century.

Of course Dr Bottley would quickly attempt to defend the indefensible. He’d certainly deny being at fault. As he seems to struggle with any kind of accountability. But I’m afraid there are no excuses. 

As an academic and teacher (as he claims he is) he should have the tools to counter any ‘misinformation’ (as he puts it), without the need to resort to any insults. 

But is it any surprise he has no qualms in using such abhorrent insults, when he feels completely comfortable tweeting about bouncing a brick off the back of a woman’s head.

The Misinformation Warrior:

Despite Bottley’s unsubstantiated claims to be working on numerous SARS-CoV-2 projects, he spends his days “debunking misinformation” on twitter. It’s therefore unsurprising that some believe he is being paid, to harangue, harass and insult all day, Especially when he also appears to believe it is his job to do so.

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Given that Bottley generally spends much of his day on twitter, and he claims 90% of his time is working. Bottley must consider his time on twitter as work. 

To add to his mission of debunking (possibly at nobody’s request), he claimed, he was “Gathering social media evidence for an official investigation”.

“Phew” he exclaims whilst declaring it hard work. 

The first question has to be, what official investigation? Then of course, why is a man who surely has his hands full with his several SARS-CoV-2 projects being required to gather social media evidence?

I have never known of any ‘official investigation’ that would require someone without appropriate credentials to gather the evidence. So I hope he didn’t bother wasting his time, “Cross-referencing it to specific points”. I can vouch how time consuming it is.

As Bottley doesn’t appear to know what an official investigation is, it is no surprise he is also oblivious to what is a classed as a crime. 

The Crown Prosecution Service definition, Social Media Offences: 

Virtual mobbing takes place when a number of individuals use social media or messaging to make comments to or about another individual, usually because they are opposed to that person's opinions. The volume of messages may amount to a campaign of harassment.

Here is an example of Bottley initiating such an offence.

The individual who Bottley didn’t agree with, clearly did the right thing and removed themselves from the discussion. Presumably by blocking the Swaledale account. Bottley has then tagged the person using one of his alternative accounts, Incytometry, and encouraged others to ridicule them. Therefore instigating a virtual mobbing and targeted harassment. 

It is worth noting, Bottley refers to this person as a “Another fake scientist”. However Bottley’s definition of a fake scientist, is any scientist who does not agree with him. He has referred to some revered scientists, and acclaimed university Professors as “fake” simply for having a difference of opinion. Therefore, it is unknown whether this person had any credentials or not. Either way, it would make little difference to Bottley.

Fake Scientists:

Something that Bottley appears to do daily is trawl through twitter looking for ‘targets’, so he can respond with insults such as; ‘Fake Scientist’, ‘Liar, grifter, fraud,’ ‘You know nothing about immunology or vaccines’, etc. Or highly emotive outbursts such as ‘you are deliberately killing people.’ 

Of course very few of the recipients of his barrages of abuse respond to him. No doubt due to their own professionalism.

However, Bottley sees this as them being frightened of his superior knowledge. So he continues to harangue them. This often resulting in his ‘target’ having no choice other than to block him. Which he see as a confirmation of a win. 

Whether you agree or vehemently disagree with these people, it is inaccurate (disinformation) to say that they know nothing. That they are known for “making stuff up”, are “a known liar and a fraud”  they are “a disgrace and an embarrassment”, they have“no appreciable talent, knowledge or expertise”. 

It’s also unlikely to change the mind of anyone who does agree with any of these academics. When a quick google search will show, regardless of their views today, they are indeed learned and accredited academics. If anything, this kind of disinformation is more likely to strengthen their supporters views.

There is a theme which runs through the tweets. Bottley believes he knows more than anyone else. That he is superior. 

However when comparing publications, h-index, citations, of the some of the academics he regularly slurs, Bottley fall flat.

(source: https://www.semanticscholar.org)

Bottley regularly claims he has written in excess of 70+ publications rather that the 13 he is accredited with. Claiming he did not get authorship on 65+ due to him “not working for a faculty”. This would mean that he has not been recognised on 83% of all his claimed publications. This seems highly unlikely to be the case and with no evidence, his publications stand at 13 and his h-index 6 regardless of his unsubstantiated claims.

13 publications is a laudable achievement, one which he should be very proud of. But alas, it doesn’t match his fanciful claims of international fame and success…