Open Thread: Have You Lost a Loved One to a Conspiracy Theory?

The past four years have transformed fringe theories into mainstream movements. How has it changed us?

A rally outside the Capitol building St Paul, Minnesota linked to social media accounts promoting the QAnon conspiracy. Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

In a new investigation for GEN, Matthew Remski writes about a wellness guru turned Covid-denialist, and the short hop it takes for influencers to gather their flock around a conspiracy theory.

U.S. polling now shows that up to 50% of respondents have reservations about the safety and efficacy of a Covid vaccine. And QAnon, once a fringe thread on 4-Chan, has made its way into mainstream politics.

How have conspiracy theories affected your life or the lives of your loved ones? How has your understanding of conspiracy theories changed since 2016, and where do you think it will go from here?

Let us know in the comments what you've experienced.