Conspiracy Theories And Algorithms Are Hurting Democracy
As more people fall deep into conspiratorial thinking. Is Silicon Valley doing enough to stop this threatening trend?
There’s never been a better time to become a conspiracy theorist. From the moon landing, staged in a TV studio, to global warming, a hoax invented by scientists, and even vaccinations being evil and causing autism, conspiracy theories are more alive, more pervasive and widespread than they have ever been before in history.
Conspiracy theorists are thriving in the current political climate, and they might be shaping it too. We are at a pivotal moment in democracy since post-truth reality is gaining ground and penetrating every corner of the political and social spectrum. Amid this explosive growth, are conspiracy theories a threat to one of democracy’s bedrock: a collective commitment for the truth?
The growing reach and scale of conspiracy theories is astonishing as theories swiftly and rapidly crossed over the internet into the real world. Disillusion with democracy and distrust of the political apparatus and the media appear to be the main reasons why conspiracy theories have been flourishing over the last few years.
