Conspiracy theories are all over social media. For some, that's as far as they go. But for reporter Zach Mack, conspiracy theories have infiltrated his family. After Mack's father became obsessed with conspiracy thinking, family relationships began to fray. Today…[Continue Reading...]
In an era of rampant misinformation and conspiracy theories amplified by social media, one of the most devastating consequences is the strain on personal relationships. Family members are left bewildered by the changes in loved ones, and some turn to…[Continue Reading...]
Fostering critical thinking can be an effective method to reduce people’s tendency to believe in conspiracy theories, an experimental study by University College Cork (UCC) psychologists has found. The study is the first to directly compare methods used to reduce…[Continue Reading...]
Even in the face of overwhelming evidence, false narratives can be incredibly sticky. Many people insist that the earth is flat, that childhood vaccines cause autism, or that climate change is a hoax, despite ample scientific evidence to the contrary.…[Continue Reading...]
“Investigating the Paranormal” My training and professional work have been in Mesoamerican archaeology, but I’ve had a lifelong fascination with paranormal concepts. In fact, I considered studying the UFO community for my doctoral research in cultural anthropology. I eventually fused…[Continue Reading...]
LA wildfire keeps growing, and so do the conspiracy theories, hate, and misinformation. Social media, especially X and TikTok, has become a toxic pool of conspiracy theories and hate campaigns against some communities. Studies suggest that social media algorithms have…[Continue Reading...]
This post is part two of a two-part series. The previous post in this series examined the Adaptive Conspiracism Hypothesis (Van Prooijen and Van Vugt, 2018). According to this perspective, the tendency to engage in conspiracy thinking is innate in…[Continue Reading...]
While investigators work to find out what caused multiple wildfires in the Los Angeles area, some conspiracies about the fires' origins have spread on social media platforms. Posts about baseless theories — ranging from celebrity involvement to secret government weapons…[Continue Reading...]
This week, a series of fires erupted in Los Angeles and swept through parts of the city, the infernos setting some of its wealthiest neighborhoods alight. A recent severe drought, alongside hurricane-force winds, supercharged the flames, and the city struggled to respond. Although many responded…[Continue Reading...]
Conspiracy theories and extreme misogyny are in danger of becoming mainstream in the UK, a report from the Government's former counter-extremism tsar warns. Extremist narratives are becoming normalised among all age groups thanks to a 'growing appetite for conspiracy theories',…[Continue Reading...]
Links appearing on this site are submitted by users. The Cult News Network does not necessarily endorse or recommend the linked articles.
Not all groups called either "cults" or "cult- like" are harmful. A link on this page does not necessarily imply that a group is a "cult" or is dangerous. ---