What Theories Regarding Q Do Conspiracy Theorists Hold?

QAnon is a conspiracy theory that originated in forum posts on the website 4chan in October 2017. Conspiracy adherents believed that former President Donald Trump was waging a secret war against a cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles within Hollywood, the Democratic Party, and the so-called “deep state”. The term QAnon has gained increased awareness among Americans.

The QAnon conspiracy theory began on 4chan, an online bulletin board known for creating and spreading memes, and later spread on larger social media platforms. Theorists identify patterns and causal relationships among individuals, events, and theorists use the user “Q” to sign off and claim US security approval. These messages, known as “Q drops” or “breadcrumbs”, are often written in cryptic language.

For the QAnon adherent, Q is not a conspiracy theory, and many believers call themselves “conspiracy researchers”. The term QAnon is a way of promoting a decentralized, far-right political movement rooted in a baseless conspiracy theory that former President Trump is waging a secret war against a shadowy cabal of Democratic forces.

Pizzagate and its progeny QAnon are two conspiracy theories with a growing number of believers worldwide. QAnon purports that America is run by a cabal of pedophiles and Satan-worshippers who run a global child sex-trafficking operation. The visibility of the online movement has surged as a supporter appears headed to Congress and Trump fails to debunk claims.