HOW SOCIAL MEDIA AMPLIFIES THE SPREAD

Modern conspiracy theories such as Pizzagate and QAnon are propagated almost entirely on social media. Facebook, Twitter, Parler, Gab and other platforms are free and fast, and allow for the instantaneous creation of communities that rally around unproven assertions or accusations. In fact, ‘Social media is the ideal carrier of conspiracism,’ says Nancy L Rosenblum, professor of ethics in politics and government at Harvard University and author of A Lot of People Are Saying: The New Conspiracism and the Assault on Democracy. Here’s why.

IT DOESN’T REQUIRE EVIDENCE.

Classic conspiracy theories persist because their adherents cling to close examination and ‘evidence’ – shadowy plotters, grainy photographs, shaky alibis – they can connect, even if by a sort of pretzel logic. New conspiracy theories, however, are deeply held alternative explanations that seem not to rely on evidence or empirical proof, just reference to a low-cost, nearly endless supply of information accessible by billions of users. A post about rigged elections or a coronavirus cover-up grows via likes and shares, not facts or figures – and that repetition reinforces bogus and verified claims alike.

IT OFFERS INSTANT COMMUNITY.

‘Online has the added, compelling feature of those who assent offering immediate feedback and approval,’ Rosenblum says. One-word assertions (Rigged! Hoax! Fake!) don’t necessarily demand evidence or argument; rather, these simple, bare statements (often made anonymously and in bite-sized posts) allow for immediate identification with the community of conspiracy followers.

IT HELPS USERS FEEL TOUGH AND SMART.

These groups also offer ‘the gratification of performative aggression,’ says Rosenblum – that is, an energy rush without an actual physical altercation. Those who are excited by outrage or prophesy are encouraged to follow ‘clues’, or invent them for themselves – a slippery slope with dangerous real-life consequences. Social media algorithms can also exacerbate spread, reinforcing ideas through echochamber rhetoric and preventing users from seeing posts that contradict their beliefs. – Adrienne Bernhard