Why Do Conspiracy Theories Get Covered By The Media?

This study investigates the relationship between social media platform use and conspiracy theory beliefs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses on five key findings regarding conspiracy theory dynamics on social media.

The study found that individuals who get their news from social media can breed a shared identity towards conspiracy theory radicalization. Conspiracy theories may be baseless, but they can have harmful real-world consequences, including spreading lies, undermining trust in media and government, and inciting violence. The reach of false conspiracies is spreading – accelerated by social media, encouraged by former President Trump, and weaponized in an unprecedented way. Bots, trolls, social media, message boards, and word of mouth can spread misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda.

There is no simple explanation for why people believe conspiracy theories like these, and the best researchers can say is that the causes of such beliefs are complex and varied. The psychological (dark triad, propensity to share false information online) and non-partisan/ideological political (populism, Manicheanism) factors contribute to the spread of conspiracy theories.

The study also highlights the importance of information consumption patterns related to conspiracy content on four mainstream social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube). Some of the most prominent and harmful conspiracy theories today are rooted in political discourse. As the pandemic brought with it not only a global health crisis but a wave of misinformation about the virus’s origins and the virus itself, traditional media must continue to inform about misinformation.