A conspiracy theory is "an unfounded explanation of an event or situation that blames the secretive work of sinister, powerful people, such as a government, a company, or even one person."
Conspiracy theories have existed for centuries, but in the age of social media, they have become more widespread and more dangerous. The insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 was motivated in part by a conspiracy theory about the 2020 election.
Skepticism and curiosity that inspire you to ask probing questions and seek answers in reliable sources are foundational to lifelong learning. But conspiracy theories that ask you to place your trust in mysterious strangers or people with irrelevant credentials--or worse to "do your own research" on YouTube, the dark web, and other unreliable sources-- undermine our confidence in science, history, journalism, civil society, and each other.
The video below from the News Literacy Project is an interactive lesson featuring Renee DiResta, the Technical Research Manager at the Stanford University Internet Observatory. Use the green Next button to navigate through it. It takes a little time, but when you finish it, you'll know more about conspiracy theories than many adults, and you will even have the tools to teach others!
Three Ways to Spot a Conspiracy Theory
a 5-minute video guide from the BBC