What Can I Do?
THINK BEFORE
SHARING
It can be tempting to see a conspiracy theory that you want to believe and share it on social media. But before doing so, make sure you check with well-reviewed scientific sources to find out if its fact or fiction. No matter how big your following is, sharing conspiracy theories increases distrust in authority and confusion over what 'truth' really is. This confusion divides our nation and hurts our democracy. Think before you share!
SPEAK
UP
Speaking up can be hard, and no one wants to start an Internet war (or in-person argument) with family and friends. Be polite --- sociologists have determined that it is largely human nature to want to believe in simple causes for complicated issues. Do your research and use data from expert sources to explain why a conspiracy theory is incorrect. Explain that scientists have no political (or otherwise) motivation to produce a certain answer; they're only job is to produce accurate information.
VOTE
WISELY
No matter your political beliefs, make sure that the leaders you vote for are not conspiracy theory spreaders. While we all have different ideas of how our nation should be run, I sincerely hope that one thing we all have in common is a desire for our democracy to prevail united. When conspiracy theories undermine truth and create confusion over who we can really trust, pinning other Americans as 'the enemy' under false pretenses, our democracy truly takes a hit.
Conspiracy theories, while seemingly often created for the sake of 'views' and entertainment, are seriously harmful to our world views, politics, and our democracy as a whole, especially when coupled with targeted social media algorithms. It takes time to do research on conspiracy theory topics, and it takes courage to share credible research findings with those who believe harmful conspiracy theories. However, taking a stand against this phenomenon is likely going to be key to stopping our nation from dividing any further. There is such thing as true, factual evidence and common knowledge; we just have to make sure it's known!