COVID-19 conspiracy groups could pivot to pushing climate change misinformation in 2022, experts warn
Business InsiderNov 27, 2021
The Facts
According to a poll conducted by Savanta for King's College London (KCL) and the BBC in April, almost a quarter of 2,274 adults interviewed believed COVID was probably or definitely a hoax.
The results also suggested that about 29% of the Britons surveyed agreed the World Economic Forum's "Great Reset" was a plan to impose a totalitarian world government during the pandemic.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
It's no surprise that a spread in conspiracist ideation has followed the pandemic, as many people trying to make sense of their woes tumbled down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories concerning COVID. These total fabrications risk promoting violence, discrimination, and distrust in institutions.
Establishment-critical narrative
It's inappropriate to smear people whose beliefs conflict with officially sanctioned or orthodox thought as "conspiracy theorists," thereby treating them as heretics were treated in the Middle Ages. Often there is at minimum a nugget of truth in these theories and complex situations, and silencing diverging opinions will only ultimately undermine democracy and freedom of speech.
