Conspiracy theories
Conspiracy theories are multiplying across the internet. But why? And who are the women that believe them? Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff investigates… ›
The woman with a coily grey afro and hot-pink eyeshadow examines me, quizzically, as she waits for my reply. The “it” in question is COVID-19. I’m in a sea of people gathered in London’s Trafalgar Square for the StandUpX march; their visible lips chant “freedom” at random intervals. It’s easy to spot the journalists: we’re the only ones wearing face coverings.
“I do,” I say, as Caitlin* – who’s in her sixties – shakes her head at me. “Some of my family have had it.” I think of watching the news the night before, as a grieving wife cried for her husband. She looks at me sceptically. “But how do you know that’s actually what it is?” 2020 was quite a year, so frustration at the government’s handling of the pandemic, requests for reassurance over vaccine safety and a healthy desire to question those in power are understandable. But then there are those who believe 5G is to blame, or cite Plandemic, a viral documentary where discredited scientist Judy Mikovits blames Bill Gates for the ongoing crisis (among other claims).
It’s never been hard to find wild notions on the internet. Katy Perry is Jon Benet Ramsey. Prince Charles is a vampire. Obama can control the weather. But recently, conspiracy theories – simply defined as the belief that events or situations are the result of secret plans made by the powerful – have been on the rise. Notably, QAnon, a dark conspiracy theory about elite Satan-worshipping paedophiles (so-called as it began with an anonymous account called “QAnon” posting “truths” on various message boards), has taken root so vehemently that Facebook has banned any content relating to it from its platforms.
An almost unfathomable number of conspiracy theories exist in the world, and as many as 60% of people in the UK actively believed in at least one even before last year.† A recent survey found that one in four Britons believe in conspiracies propagated by QAnon, with 35% of those aged 18 to 24 agreeing that “satanic cults exist and include influential elites”.‡ But what happens when these theories spill out of their Reddit sub-threads and chat rooms? I took a deep breath and went to find out.
Jigsaw puzzles
Janine’s* younger sister’s breakdown happened while they were speeding along the motorway. “One minute, she was driving, and the next, she’s crying and shaking, saying paedophiles are in Hollywood.”
It was the climax of months of worrying conversations. In early 2020, Delilah* had joined a “current events” WhatsApp group, which she found through an online forum. On it, the 175 members discuss the “truth” – sharing debunked theories as fact. It’s thanks to this group that Delilah started to believe that Joe Biden and the Clintons are paedophiles and that the moon landings didn’t happen. “[Everything comes] out in a weird, garbled mulch,” says Janine.
Conspiracy theories are nothing new, but social media means they can now spread with speed. They are no longer just tucked away on bizarre forums; they’re retweeted by your favourite influencers, WhatsApp-ed to you by your aunt and spouted in long Facebook statuses by your old friend from school. They can even be passed along in good will, just in case they prove to be true.
As the world around us has become increasingly uncertain, such theories have also morphed into a general
mistrust of everything.
At the time of writing, Trump has just been discharged from hospital and Twitter is full of speculation that his illness was some form of stunt. This, says academic Carolina Are – who is currently studying towards a PhD in online abuse and conspiracy theories – is new. “Conspiracies were [once] a lot more about the paranormal, to do with demons and witches. Now, they’ve become about power and what power is hiding from us.”
Researching and then interrogating the decisions made by our governments is, of course, natural. It’s very different to your entire belief system being taken over by the idea that the majority of what we see and read is lies. But – as I am learning – it’s very easy to spiral deeper and deeper into a mindset of mistrust and suspicion.
Amrita* is a Canadian IT professional (as well as a DJ) whose interest in conspiracy theories and purported misuse of power started at the beginning of lockdown – around the same time she lost her job. After months of research online, one of her core beliefs is now that the Canadian government has hijacked the virus for its own means. Amrita claims that, in her role, she witnessed intentionally poor decision-making. “I worked directly with the government, so I’ve seen it first-hand,” she explains, chatting animatedly over video call the day after her 38th birthday.
Interestingly, Janine’s sister also had a first-hand look into the workings of her country’s healthcare system. After being made redundant from her job in events, Delilah got a full-time position working for Test and Trace (from home, for the NHS). After three months she says she’s only made four calls. As widely reported in June, hundreds of Test-and-Trace staff were said to be let go, having made no calls, even as cases continued to mushroom around the country. While poor management and implementation of the Test-and-Trace system could be partly to blame, badly made technology, data collection and delays have all been cited as key failings. But for Delilah it’s a sign of something more sinister: that the pandemic isn’t as serious as we’re told. This then cements Delilah’s belief that everything else she sees is also a lie. “For her, it’s all slotting together like a big puzzle. The ‘existence’ of one conspiracy theory then proves another… and so on,” explains Janine.
When asked how her family and friends feel about her new beliefs, Amrita explains, “I’m a single mom, so they say, ‘Amrita, just focus on taking care of your kid.’” She also says that finding her truth has led to a kind of feminist empowerment. “My mum didn’t question much. She relied on the man to be strong. But women today are more empowered, so we’re going to question more,” she adds.
Professor Joanne Miller, who studies work around misinformation at the University of Delaware in the US, has conducted one of the few recent studies into conspiracy theories and gender during the ›
pandemic. Her research found that men were 10% more likely than women to endorse COVID-19related conspiracy theories.** But this surprised Miller. “In general, people are more likely to believe conspiracy theories when they experience uncertainty. With COVID-19, you might think women are more powerless than men – they are typically the ones taking the brunt of childcare responsibilities, and women also tend to be more financially insecure.”
In France, however, a survey of 1,000 people found that 63% of anti-maskers were women, and their average age was 50.†† It could be fair to say, then, using the limited data we do have on gender, that young women may be one of the least-likely demographics to engage with conspiracy theories. Which means the reasons why they would choose to believe them should be of particular interest.
When it spills over
There aren’t too many young women to be found at the StandUpX march. But I do spot Rebecca,* standing on the edge of one of the Trafalgar Square fountains, gripping onto her sign, which reads “legalise freedom”.
“Coronavirus has been massively exaggerated,” the 28-year-old tells me. “No one’s denying it exists, because it definitely does, but it’s no worse than the flu,” she adds.
I also speak to Christine,* a 43-yearold woman dressed in indigo and big hoop earrings. She travelled from Leicester with her young daughter to be here today. “I came here for a number of reasons,” she tells me. “Number one, my daughter. I don’t believe in the vaccine system at all…
My child is not vaccinated. I believe that COVID is real, but…” Christine’s daughter chimes in, nudging her mother’s waist: “It’s not so bad.”
“Yeah, I don’t believe it’s as deadly or contagious as they’re saying it is,” Christine goes on.
That’s the thing about conspiracy theories – there’s a spectrum of belief and a lot of internal debate even among the communities that support them. There are those who don’t trust the headlines, but then there are those who believe the virus doesn’t exist at all – recently Kelly Brogan, a holistic psychiatrist and former contributor to Goop, had her social media posts taken down after saying that the virus isn’t real. And while social media companies can do their best to tackle false information being spread on their platforms, this can further belief that those in power are trying to silence “the truth”. So while I could have told Rebecca that recent figures suggest that three times as many people have died from COVID-19 than from flu and pneumonia in England and Wales this year,‡‡ would it make a difference? Or would she tell me not to believe everything I read?
The more I engage with the conspiracy theory community, the more a common thread emerges: a deep sense of vulnerability, whether it’s mothers who are heartbroken over the losses or diagnoses of children and have turned to anti-vaxxing, or those whose worlds have been turned upside down by the pandemic. Many, like Delilah and Amrita, have lost their jobs and social lives, with some caring for children independently. “We all have things that scare us,” says Are. “For some it’s the safety of their children, for others it’s sexual assault, or their health.”
And when uncertainty kicks in, we search for answers that might make sense of things.
With this in mind, is it really so worrying that mistrust is rife right now? Shouldn’t we just let people believe what they want to believe? After all, we all have the right to be wrong. Who are they really hurting? That’s where it gets tricky, in some cases. QAnon supporters have been linked to an armed standoff, a kidnapping plot, two kidnappings and at least one murder. The FBI is so worried about its influence they’ve labelled it a domestic terrorism threat. Then, of course, there’s the huge risk (both to themselves and others) of non-masked protesters taking to the streets in the middle of a global pandemic. And the fact that, in 2018, four countries in Europe, including the UK, lost their measles-elimination status and cases have been rising sharply since then – as have deaths from the fully preventable virus. While it’s impossible to pinpoint exactly why this is, experts believe misinformation around the MMR jab online, and the anti-vax movement, is playing a part.
There’s also an emotional impact, as families and friends become further alienated from their loved ones. With pain in her voice, Janine expresses sadness that people with good intentions “are being co-opted into thinking about things that don’t exist. It makes me worry for my sister, and the world at large.”
Compassionate intervention
Conspiratorial thinking is common in all societies and demographics, but for most of the women I’ve spoken to, there are some themes that unite them. They often buck any stereotypes of close-mindedness and introversion; these are often women with big personalities who enjoy being loving and sociable. Everything about Amrita’s social media presence suggests she’s an extrovert, from her career as a DJ to her fun sense of fashion. The isolation of coronavirus may have been harder on her and others like her than it has for the average person.
As Janine points out, Delilah was extremely isolated for months. “She hadn’t made any friends that live in her area. Then lockdown happened. Her boyfriend also doesn’t interact with her very much. This year has driven another layer of fear into people,” she says. As the world grows increasingly divided, we must try to approach those who have differing opinions with empathy and kindness. That, along with a rigorous knowledge base and an understanding that this sort of work takes time and energy. If you’re struggling to see eye-to-eye with someone, Miller recommends taking a step back from the theories themselves and considering the person. “[Ask] your friend what is going on in their life right now. How are there other ways to deal with those stressors?” Janine, for instance, having identified that loneliness was a key problem for her sister, has created a WhatsApp group to rival the conspiracy-theorist one that her sister joined. She has already seen a change in her sister’s behaviour.
Usually, those who dabble in conspiracy theories do so without causing much harm. However, it is important to recognise when it veers towards the factually inaccurate and the dangerous. “The presence of conspiracy theories erodes truth and trust,” says Are. “Because theorists are so good at finding reasons why someone powerful might be withholding something, it’s incredibly difficult to prove them wrong.”
To really get to the heart of why someone believes in a conspiracy theory and to change their mind might take more than one conversation peppered with facts. Conspiracy theories are alluring and comforting to many people. We need to make the world a safer place for the vulnerable, a more compassionate place for us all, and to try and operate with as much transparency as possible. It’s only then that truth will prevail.
“They are being co-opted into thinking about things that don’t exist. It makes me worry for the world”