Tag: misinformation
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Platform moderation and 9/11 misinformation: a case study in content policy
How major platforms have handled 9/11 conspiracy content reveals the unsolved tradeoffs in modern content moderation, from labeling to demonetization to removal.
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Twenty-five years later
The conspiracy ecosystem of 2026 looks almost nothing like the one that emerged after 9/11. The audience, the platforms, and the playbook have all shifted.
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Pizzagate explained: how a debunked conspiracy theory spread from 4chan to the mainstream
A timeline of how misread John Podesta emails in 2016 produced a baseless trafficking conspiracy that ended with a man firing a rifle inside a DC restaurant.
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Why traumatic national events almost always spawn conspiracy theories
After every major tragedy, conspiracy theories follow within hours. The pattern isn’t random — it’s a predictable response to disproportionate causes.
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The persistence problem: why Pizzagate refuses to die a decade later
Pizzagate was debunked within weeks but resurfaces every election cycle. Examining why the theory keeps returning despite zero new evidence.
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The real-world cost: harassment, threats, and trauma for businesses falsely accused
Pizzagate didn’t end with a debunking. Comet Ping Pong, neighboring shops, and unrelated businesses absorbed years of threats — and many never recovered.