The Times Australia
The Times World News

.

How conspiracy theories in the US became more personal, more cruel and more mainstream after the Sandy Hook shootings

  • Written by Amanda J. Crawford, Assistant Professor of Journalism, University of Connecticut
How conspiracy theories in the US became more personal, more cruel and more mainstream after the Sandy Hook shootings

Conspiracy theories are powerful forces in the U.S. They have damaged public health amid a global pandemic, shaken faith in the democratic process and helped spark[1] a violent assault on the U.S. Capitol in January 2021.

These conspiracy theories are part of a dangerous misinformation crisis that has been building for years in the U.S.

American politics has long had a paranoid streak[2], and belief in conspiracy theories is nothing new[3]. But as the news cycle reminds us daily, outlandish conspiracy theories born on social media now regularly achieve mainstream acceptance and are echoed by people in power.

As a journalism professor [4] at the University of Connecticut, I have studied the misinformation [5] around the mass shooting that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012. I consider it the first major conspiracy theory of the modern social media age, and I believe we can trace our current predicament to the tragedy’s aftermath.

Nine years ago, the Sandy Hook shooting demonstrated how fringe ideas could quickly become mainstream[6] on social media and win support from various establishment figures – even when the conspiracy theory targeted grieving families of young students and school staff killed during the massacre.

Those who claimed the tragedy was a hoax showed up in Newtown, Connecticut, and harassed people connected to the shooting. This provided an early example of how misinformation spread on social media could cause real-world harm.

A woman in a red shirt sits among a group of people and holds a photo of a young boy.
Francine Wheeler displays a photograph of her son, Sandy Hook Elementary shooting victim Ben Wheeler, at a 2018 gun control rally. Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images[7]

New age of social media and distrust

Social media’s role in spreading misinformation[8] has been well documented in recent years. The year of the Sandy Hook shooting, 2012, marked the first year that more than half of all American adults used social media[9].

It also marked a modern low[10] in public trust of the media. Gallup’s annual survey[11] has since showed even lower levels of trust in the media in 2016 and 2021.

These two coinciding trends – which continue to drive misinformation – pushed fringe doubts about Sandy Hook quickly into the U.S. mainstream[12]. Speculation that the shooting was a false flag[13] – an attack made to look as if it were committed by someone else – began to circulate on Twitter and other social media sites almost immediately. Far-right commentator and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and other fringe voices[14] amplified these false claims.

Jones was recently found liable by default[15] in defamation cases filed by Sandy Hook families.

Mistakes in breaking news reports[16] about the shooting, such as conflicting information on the gun used and the identity of the shooter, were spliced together in YouTube videos and compiled on blogs as proof of a conspiracy, as my research[17] shows. Amateur sleuths collaborated in Facebook groups that promoted the shooting as a hoax and lured new users down the rabbit hole.

Soon, a variety of establishment figures[18], including the 2010 Republican nominee for Connecticut attorney general, Martha Dean[19], gave credence[20] to doubts about the tragedy.

Six months later, as gun control legislation stalled in Congress[21], a university poll[22] found 1 in 4 people thought the truth about Sandy Hook was being hidden to advance a political agenda. Many others said they weren’t sure. The results were so unbelievable that some media outlets questioned[23] the poll’s accuracy.

Today, other conspiracy theories have followed a similar trajectory on social media. The media is awash with stories about the popularity of the bizarre QAnon conspiracy movement[24], which falsely claims top Democrats are part of a Satan-worshipping pedophile ring. A member of Congress, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, has also publicly denied Sandy Hook[25] and other mass shootings.

But back in 2012, the spread of outlandish conspiracy theories from social media into the mainstream was a relatively new phenomenon, and an indication of what was to come.

A man dressed in black speaks into a loudspeaker. Alex Jones, owner of the conspiracy theory site Infowars, is among the public figures who have denied the Sandy Hook shootings. Zach Gibson/Getty Images[26]

New breed of conspiracies

Sandy Hook also marked a turning point in the nature of conspiracy theories and their targets. Before Sandy Hook, popular American conspiracy theories generally villainized shadowy elites or forces within the government. Many 9/11 “truthers,” for example, believed the government[27] was behind the terrorist attacks, but they generally left victims’ families alone.

Sandy Hook conspiracy theorists accused family members of those killed[28], survivors of the shooting, religious leaders, neighbors[29] and first responders of being part of a government plot.

Newtown parents were accused of faking their children’s deaths, or their very existence. There were also allegations they were part of a child sex cult.

This change in conspiratorial targets from veiled government and elite figures to everyday people marked a shift in the trajectory of American conspiracy theories.

Since Sandy Hook, survivors of many other high-profile mass shootings[30] and attacks, such as the Boston Marathon bombing [31] and the Charlottesville car attack[32], have had their trauma compounded by denial about their tragedies.

And the perverse idea of a politically connected pedophile ring has become a key tenet in two subsequent conspiracy theories: Pizzagate[33] and QAnon[34].

The kind of harassment and death threats[35] targeting Sandy Hook families has also become a common fallout of conspiracy theories. In the Pizzagate conspiracy theory, the owners and employees of a Washington, D.C., pizza parlor[36] alleged to be part of a pedophile ring that included politicians continue to be targeted by adherents of that conspiracy theory. In 2016, one man drove hundreds of miles to investigate and fired his assault rifle[37] in the restaurant.

Some people who remain skeptical of the COVID-19 pandemic have harassed front-line health workers [38]. Local election workers across the country have been threatened[39] and accused of being part of a conspiracy to steal the 2020 presidential election.

The legacy of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook is a legacy of misinformation – the start of a crisis that will likely plague the U.S. for years to come.

[The Conversation’s Politics + Society editors pick need-to-know stories. Sign up for Politics Weekly[40].]

References

  1. ^ helped spark (abcnews.go.com)
  2. ^ paranoid streak (harpers.org)
  3. ^ nothing new (www.rollingstone.com)
  4. ^ journalism professor (journalism.uconn.edu)
  5. ^ studied the misinformation (www.youtube.com)
  6. ^ mainstream (www.buzzfeednews.com)
  7. ^ Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images (www.gettyimages.com)
  8. ^ role in spreading misinformation (theconversation.com)
  9. ^ used social media (www.pewresearch.org)
  10. ^ modern low (news.gallup.com)
  11. ^ annual survey (news.gallup.com)
  12. ^ mainstream (www.buzzfeednews.com)
  13. ^ false flag (www.cjr.org)
  14. ^ fringe voices (www.chronicle.com)
  15. ^ liable by default (theconversation.com)
  16. ^ Mistakes in breaking news reports (www.npr.org)
  17. ^ my research (youtu.be)
  18. ^ establishment figures (www.salon.com)
  19. ^ Martha Dean (ballotpedia.org)
  20. ^ gave credence (www.nhregister.com)
  21. ^ stalled in Congress (www.nytimes.com)
  22. ^ university poll (portal.fdu.edu)
  23. ^ questioned (www.theatlantic.com)
  24. ^ QAnon conspiracy movement (www.nytimes.com)
  25. ^ Sandy Hook (www.washingtonpost.com)
  26. ^ Zach Gibson/Getty Images (media.gettyimages.com)
  27. ^ believed the government (www.bbc.com)
  28. ^ family members of those killed (www.npr.org)
  29. ^ neighbors (www.salon.com)
  30. ^ mass shootings (theconversation.com)
  31. ^ Boston Marathon bombing (www.theguardian.com)
  32. ^ Charlottesville car attack (www.washingtonpost.com)
  33. ^ Pizzagate (www.vox.com)
  34. ^ QAnon (www.theatlantic.com)
  35. ^ death threats (www.sun-sentinel.com)
  36. ^ D.C., pizza parlor (www.vox.com)
  37. ^ one man drove hundreds of miles to investigate and fired his assault rifle (www.washingtonpost.com)
  38. ^ health workers (www.usnews.com)
  39. ^ have been threatened (www.npr.org)
  40. ^ Sign up for Politics Weekly (theconversation.com)

Read more https://theconversation.com/how-conspiracy-theories-in-the-us-became-more-personal-more-cruel-and-more-mainstream-after-the-sandy-hook-shootings-172015

Times Magazine

Headless CMS in Digital Twins and 3D Product Experiences

Image by freepik As the metaverse becomes more advanced and accessible, it's clear that multiple sectors will use digital twins and 3D product experiences to visualize, connect, and streamline efforts better. A digital twin is a virtual replica of ...

The Decline of Hyper-Casual: How Mid-Core Mobile Games Took Over in 2025

In recent years, the mobile gaming landscape has undergone a significant transformation, with mid-core mobile games emerging as the dominant force in app stores by 2025. This shift is underpinned by changing user habits and evolving monetization tr...

Understanding ITIL 4 and PRINCE2 Project Management Synergy

Key Highlights ITIL 4 focuses on IT service management, emphasising continual improvement and value creation through modern digital transformation approaches. PRINCE2 project management supports systematic planning and execution of projects wit...

What AI Adoption Means for the Future of Workplace Risk Management

Image by freepik As industrial operations become more complex and fast-paced, the risks faced by workers and employers alike continue to grow. Traditional safety models—reliant on manual oversight, reactive investigations, and standardised checklist...

From Beach Bops to Alpine Anthems: Your Sonos Survival Guide for a Long Weekend Escape

Alright, fellow adventurers and relaxation enthusiasts! So, you've packed your bags, charged your devices, and mentally prepared for that glorious King's Birthday long weekend. But hold on, are you really ready? Because a true long weekend warrior kn...

Effective Commercial Pest Control Solutions for a Safer Workplace

Keeping a workplace clean, safe, and free from pests is essential for maintaining productivity, protecting employee health, and upholding a company's reputation. Pests pose health risks, can cause structural damage, and can lead to serious legal an...

The Times Features

Prefab’s Second Life: Why Australia’s Backyard Boom Needs a Circular Makeover

The humble granny flat is being reimagined not just as a fix for housing shortages, but as a cornerstone of circular, factory-built architecture. But are our systems ready to s...

Melbourne’s Burglary Boom: Break-Ins Surge Nearly 25%

Victorian homeowners are being warned to act now, as rising break-ins and falling arrest rates paint a worrying picture for suburban safety. Melbourne residents are facing an ...

Exploring the Curriculum at a Modern Junior School in Melbourne

Key Highlights The curriculum at junior schools emphasises whole-person development, catering to children’s physical, emotional, and intellectual needs. It ensures early year...

Distressed by all the bad news? Here’s how to stay informed but still look after yourself

If you’re feeling like the news is particularly bad at the moment, you’re not alone. But many of us can’t look away – and don’t want to. Engaging with news can help us make ...

The Role of Your GP in Creating a Chronic Disease Management Plan That Works

Living with a long-term condition, whether that is diabetes, asthma, arthritis or heart disease, means making hundreds of small decisions every day. You plan your diet against m...

Troubleshooting Flickering Lights: A Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners

Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik Effectively addressing flickering lights in your home is more than just a matter of convenience; it's a pivotal aspect of both home safety and en...