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

Building a Strong Online Presence with Katoomba Web Design

Katoomba web design is more than just creating a website that looks good—it’s about building an online presence that reflects your brand, engages your audience, and drives results. For local businesses in the Blue Mountains, a well-designed website a...

September Sunset Polo

International Polo Tour To Bridge Historic Sport, Life-Changing Philanthropy, and Breath-Taking Beauty On Saturday, September 6th, history will be made as the International Polo Tour (IPT), a sports leader headquartered here in South Florida...

5 Ways Microsoft Fabric Simplifies Your Data Analytics Workflow

In today's data-driven world, businesses are constantly seeking ways to streamline their data analytics processes. The sheer volume and complexity of data can be overwhelming, often leading to bottlenecks and inefficiencies. Enter the innovative da...

7 Questions to Ask Before You Sign IT Support Companies in Sydney

Choosing an IT partner can feel like buying an insurance policy you hope you never need. The right choice keeps your team productive, your data safe, and your budget predictable. The wrong choice shows up as slow tickets, surprise bills, and risky sh...

Choosing the Right Legal Aid Lawyer in Sutherland Shire: Key Considerations

Legal aid services play an essential role in ensuring access to justice for all. For people in the Sutherland Shire who may not have the financial means to pay for private legal assistance, legal aid ensures that everyone has access to representa...

Watercolor vs. Oil vs. Digital: Which Medium Fits Your Pet's Personality?

When it comes to immortalizing your pet’s unique personality in art, choosing the right medium is essential. Each artistic medium, whether watercolor, oil, or digital, has distinct qualities that can bring out the spirit of your furry friend in dif...

The Times Features

From Garden to Gift: Why Roses Make the Perfect Present

Think back to the last time you gave or received flowers. Chances are, roses were part of the bunch, or maybe they were the whole bunch.   Roses tend to leave an impression. Even ...

Do I have insomnia? 5 reasons why you might not

Even a single night of sleep trouble can feel distressing and lonely. You toss and turn, stare at the ceiling, and wonder how you’ll cope tomorrow. No wonder many people star...

Wedding Photography Trends You Need to Know (Before You Regret Your Album)

Your wedding album should be a timeless keepsake, not something you cringe at years later. Trends may come and go, but choosing the right wedding photography approach ensures your ...

Can you say no to your doctor using an AI scribe?

Doctors’ offices were once private. But increasingly, artificial intelligence (AI) scribes (also known as digital scribes) are listening in. These tools can record and trans...

There’s a new vaccine for pneumococcal disease in Australia. Here’s what to know

The Australian government announced last week there’s a new vaccine[1] for pneumococcal disease on the National Immunisation Program for all children. This vaccine replaces pr...

What Makes a Small Group Tour of Italy So Memorable?

Traveling to Italy is on almost every bucket list. From the rolling hills of Tuscany to the sparkling canals of Venice, the country is filled with sights, flavors, and experiences ...