How to spot debunked QAnon conspiracy theories

An emboldened community of believers known as QAnon is spreading a baseless patchwork of conspiracy theories that are fooling Americans who are looking for simple answers in a time of intense political polarization, social isolation and economic turmoil.

Experts call QAnona “digital cult” because of its pseudoreligious qualities and an extreme belief system that enthrones President Donald Trump as a savior figure crusading against evil.

The core of QAnon is the false theory that Trump was elected to root out a secret child- sex trafficking ring run by Satanic, cannibalistic Democratic politicians and celebrities. Although it may sound absurd, it has nonetheless attracted devoted followers who have begun to perpetuate other theories that they suggest, imply or argue are somehow related to the main premise.

While many QAnon theories and content remain on fringe platforms like far-right message board 8kun, some have made their way into mainstream social media services like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. On those platforms, the bogus or misleading material is gaining traction among people who have no idea they're dabbling in QAnon.

While the major tech platforms have said they're cracking down on certain QAnon content, much of it continues to circulate.

Here are some key elements to watch out for:

Pizzagate

This conspiracy theory was a precursor to QAnon, but it has recently regained momentum and become intertwined with QAnon.

Originating during the 2016 presidential campaign, this falsehood claimed that emails exposed by Wikileaks showed Democrats with ties to Hillary Clinton had been running a child- sex ring from the basement of a Washington, D.C. pizzeria.

None of it was true, but that didn't stop a North Carolina man from traveling to D.C. to investigate the matter for himself. He fired his rifle in the restaurant before he was arrested and later imprisoned. No one was injured.

The Deep State

A common claim among QAnon conspiracists is that a shadowy network of politicians and bureaucrats secretly collaborate to control the government behind the scenes.

While this claim takes many forms, it generally centers on the suggestion that a cabal of powerful elites is manipulating the world.

For some, the fantasy of a Deep State is a pillar of their belief system regarding government, business and entertainment.

Trump himself has promoted the concept many times, including most recently to assert that a “deep state, or whoever,” at the Food and Drug Administration was “making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics” for COVID-19.

It's one thing to allege that government bureaucrats are posing an obstacle to progress, or that politicians make too many back-room deals. Those are common criticisms.

It's another thing to suggest, without evidence, that a secret network of people are coordinating plans to disrupt the rule of law and democracy.

In a letter published by USA TODAY following Trump's accusations about the FDA, eight agency officials defended their processes and scientific integrity.

“When it comes to decisions to authorize or approve the products we regulate, or to take appropriate action when we uncover safety issues, we and our career staff do the best by public health when we are the decision-makers, arriving at those decisions based on our unbiased evaluation of the scientific evidence,” the officials wrote.