Why Do Tin Foil Hats Belong On Conspiracy Theorists?

A tin foil hat is a hat made from one or more sheets of tin foil or aluminum foil, or a piece of conventional headgear lined with foil, often worn in the belief that it shields the brain from threats such as electromagnetic fields, mind control, and mind reading. The notion of wearing homemade headgear for such purposes is often used to caricature conspiracy theory believers and those who suffer from paranoia.

In the 1980-90s, the term “tinfoil hat” became a shorthand for “conspiracy theorists”, including JFK, moon landing, and 9/11 truthers. A 1997 internet commenter observed that tinfoil hat was “the”. Some conspiracy theorists argue that the hats do offer some protection against things like cell phones and WiFi signals, which could theoretically be used to track or spy on.

The scientific reasoning behind the foil helmet is that it acts as a Faraday cage, an enclosure made up of a conducting material that shields its interior from external electrostatic charges. The tin foil hat is perhaps the most iconic headgear for conspiracy theorists, as wearing one signals to others that they are unhinged, have a deep distrust of the government, or are really worried.

A study by IM Portant 2021 found that misinformation regarding facemasks is not as prevalent on Twitter in Denmark during the COVID-19 pandemic. In early 2017, after the double shock of Brexit and the election of Donald Trump, the British data-mining firm Cambridge Analytica gained sudden notoriety.

In summary, a tin foil hat is an iconic symbol of paranoia and conspiracy theories, often worn by those who believe in the protection of their brains from electromagnetic fields and mind control.