Conspiracy Theories

Saturday, Apr 20, 2024 | Last Update : 06:10 AM IST

Erik Renssen, Woman writing a letter, 2018, renssenartgalley.com

Shreya Sen-Handley | Unfriend social media, it is time to get ‘real’

It reduces interaction to likes and emojis, quantity, not quality, with little distinction made between genuine buds and pure acquaintances

01 Aug 2021 7:33 AM

A member of the Australian Defence Force carries a batch of swab samples taken from members of the public at a drive-through COVID-19 coronavirus testing station in the Melbourne suburb of Fawkner on July 2, 2020. (AFP)

Thanks to conspiracy theories, Australians are refusing to test for COVID-19

Health officials in southern state of Victoria pled with the public to get themselves tested and to ignore disinformation spreading online

03 Jul 2020 12:40 PM

Not just for the Black Lives Matter protests, George Soros is also being blamed by conspiracy theorists for the pandemic. In this image, a man holds a sign with the images of Hungarian-US billionaire George Soros (L) and Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez, reading "Virus = expropriation of companies" during a demonstration called by small businessmen affected by the government's mandatory quarantine imposed for more than 13 weeks, to protest against the quarantine and the expropriation of the Vicentin agro-industrial company on the Obelisk in Buenos Aires, June 20, 2020. (Photo | AFP)

Liberal billionaire George Soros the target of conspiracy theories over black protests

The Hungarian-American, who is Jewish, has also been the subject of anti-Semitic attacks and conspiracy theories for decades.

21 Jun 2020 9:41 PM

Bill Gates conspiracy theories viral in Africa

A Kenyan politician's false online post has added major fuel to the spread of misinformation regarding the American business magnate

28 May 2020 9:55 AM

In this Tuesday, May 12, 2020 file photo, senators listen as Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks during a virtual Senate Committee for Health, Education, Labour, and Pensions hearing in Washington. On Friday, May 15, 2020, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly asserting Fauci has sat on Microsoft's board of directors with Bill Gates as his boss. Fauci has become a target of misinformation as he oversees the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo | AP)

YouTube, WhatsApp abound with conspiracy theories accusing Bill Gates of starting the virus outbreak

In recent months, 5G networks and Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros have also been blamed for creating COVID-19

18 May 2020 10:09 PM

A medic uses a thermal screening device on a boy during a door-to-door survey to detect COVID-19 cases in Nagaon district in Assam. (PTI)

Medics around the world face hostility over virus stigma

In countries like India, Egypt, Mexico and elsewhere, doctors and nurses are intimidated and treated like pariahs because of their work

16 May 2020 3:56 PM

A protester holds up a sign that reads "No chance for (Bill) Gates - no forced vaccination", which propagates a conspiracy theory that COVID-19 is man-made and being spread by flu shots, during a demonstration against the restrictions implemented to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, at the grounds of the Cannstatter Wasen festival in Stuttgart, southern Germany, on May 9, 2020. (Photo | AFP)

Covid consipracy theory video ‘Plandemic’ viewed by millions before Facebook, YouTube can take it down

Its spread illustrates how easy it is to use social media as a megaphone for dubious content, and how difficult for platforms to remove it.

13 May 2020 7:51 PM

Conspiracy theorist QAnon demonstrators protest during a rally to re-open California and against Stay-At-Home directives on May 1, 2020 in San Diego, California. (Photo | AFP)

Trump supporters on Facebook spreading QAnon conspiracy theories kicked off social media platform

QAnon believes Trump is waging a secret campaign against the “deep state” and child sex trafficking run by satanic paedophiles and cannibals

06 May 2020 7:32 PM

Hundreds of protesters gather outside Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz' official residence, Friday, April 17, 2020 in St. Paul, Minn. President Donald Trump tweeted his support for a protest outside Gov. Tim Walzâ€™s official residence in St. Paul against Minnesota's continued stay-at-home order. (Photo | AP)

Fake news being spread in US by conspiracy theorists claiming COVID-19 is a hoax

Group called “QAnon” believes Trump is on a secret campaign against the “deep state” and “Satan-worshiping Democrats who prey on children”

18 Apr 2020 2:04 PM

Tonight’s lunar eclipse is expected to be one of the longest seen this century, at roughly one hour and 43 minutes. (Photo: Pixabay)

Blood moon: Will the world end tonight? Here are the conspiracy theories

When the light refracts differently in the atmosphere and hits the moon, it makes the lunar body seem red.

27 Jul 2018 2:26 PM

Theorists at a popular alien site zoomed in on the images to find tracks running behind it (Photo: YouTube)

Alien hunters claim that unknown mass seen in Antarctica on Google Earth is a spaceship

The alleged spacecraft was seen in a remote South Georgia Island where only 20 people live.

05 Mar 2018 2:53 PM

Heart attack or accidental drowning? (Photo: AFP)

Sridevi's untimely death sets Twitter abuzz with conspiracy theories

With accidental drowning and traces of alcohol leaving people in doubt, some questioned the report itself.

26 Feb 2018 5:53 PM

Representational Image. (Photo: Pixabay)

Year ender 2017: 6 of this year's biggest conspiracy theories

Some may shock, while others may leave you scratching your head.

15 Dec 2017 5:28 PM

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Shobhaa De