Check the source – Is it reliable and reputable? Unlikely Author claims to have credentials but they don’t withstand scrutiny or are suspendedĢ.The author is a self-proclaimed expert and not attached to a reputable organisation or institution.The author uses verifiable facts and evidence from scientific or academic research.The author has recognised qualifications and credentials in the topic.Check the author – who is writing this and why? Unlikely to be a conspiracy theory Is this a conspiracy theory? Check before sharingġ. The first step to prevent conspiracy theories is to know that they exist. Beware: They can come from many sources e.g. Others deliberately want to provoke, manipulate or target people for political or financial reasons.
People spread conspiracy theories for different reasons: They are hard to refute because any person who tries is seen as being part of the conspiracy.ĥ. Once they have taken root, conspiracy theories can grow quickly. Any ‘evidence’ is then forced to fit the theory. They ask who is benefiting from the event or situation and thus identify the conspirators.
This need for clarity is heightened in times of uncertainty like the COVID-19 pandemic.Ĭonspiracy theories often start as a suspicion. They often appear as a logical explanation of events or situations which are difficult to understand and bring a false sense of control and agency. They falsely suggest that nothing happens by accident and that there are no coincidences nothing is as it appears and everything is connected.ĥ. ‘Evidence’ that seems to support the conspiracy theory.Ĥ. Conspiracy theories have these 6 things in commonģ. The belief that certain events or situations are secretly manipulated behind the scenes by powerful forces with negative intent.Ģ. What are conspiracy theories? Why do they flourish? 1. It may be difficult to recognise them or know how best to deal with them. To address this trend, the European Commission and UNESCO are publicising a set of ten educational infographics helping citizens identify, debunk and counter conspiracy theories.īe warned: the COVID-19 pandemic has seen a rise in harmful and misleading conspiracy theories. The coronavirus pandemic has seen a rise in harmful and misleading conspiracy theories, mostly spreading online.
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