conspiracy theories

A jury has ordered conspiracy theorist Alex Jones to pay millions of dollars for spreading lies about the Sandy Hook school massacre. But his influence in right-wing media and politics remains strong.

National

How Alex Jones helped mainstream conspiracy theories become part of American life

9:28am August 06, 2022

by Shannon Bond

Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones must pay millions in damages for spreading lies about the Sandy Hook school massacre. But even if the penalties shut down Infowars, his influence will remain.

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InfoWars host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has been ordered to pay just under $50 million in damages to a pair of parents whose son was killed in the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary.

National

A jury tags Alex Jones with $45.2 million in punitive damages for 2 Sandy Hook parents

7:39pm August 05, 2022

Jones, the creator and face of the conspiracy-peddling website InfoWars, is on the hook for a total of $49.3 million for spreading falsehoods about the 2012 mass shooting at an elementary school.

Infowars founder Alex Jones listens to a supporter at the Texas State Capital building on April 18, 2020 in Austin, Texas.

A jury says InfoWars' Alex Jones must pay 2 Sandy Hook parents more than $4 million

7:01pm August 04, 2022

The InfoWars host and creator will have to pay $4.1 million to two parents whose 6-year-old son was killed at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012. Jones spent years claiming the mass shooting as a hoax.

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In the metal bands Sleep and High on Fire, Matt Pike has always looked to esoteric sources. Over the last decade, however, he's found inspiration in the conspiracy theories of David Icke.

Music & Culture

Can Matt Pike face the music?

10:59pm May 19, 2022

by Grayson Haver Currin

Matt Pike overcame long odds to find success in metal bands Sleep and High on Fire. But his deepening obsession with conspiracy theories has created a dissonant riff.

A person carries a sign supporting QAnon during a May 2020 protest rally in Olympia, Wash.

How Religion, Education, Race And Media Consumption Shape Conspiracy Theory Beliefs

4:45pm May 27, 2021

by Sarah McCammon

A new survey from the polling firm PRRI breaks down conspiracy theory acceptance by religious group, level of education, and sources of news and information, among other things.

Alex Jones addresses a pro-Trump crowd on Jan. 6, the day of the U.S. Capitol riot. Jones is widely known for his support of baseless and often bigoted conspiracy theories, and he has been banned from many tech platforms, though not Amazon.

Alex Jones Still Sells Supplements On Amazon Despite Bans From Other Platforms

4:06pm March 25, 2021

by Tom Dreisbach

The conspiracy theorist Alex Jones sells dietary supplements through Amazon despite being banned from other platforms. Amazon receives a cut of the profits.

Deprogrammers more commonly referred to as "exit counselors" or "de-radicalizers," are helping people caught up in cultic ideologies to reconnect with reality.

'Exit Counselors' Strain To Pull Americans Out Of A Web Of False Conspiracies

3:42pm March 03, 2021

by Tovia Smith

With disinformation spreading on an unprecedented scale, experts in cult deprogramming are turning their focus to those who have fallen down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories.

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False conspiracy theories have always been a part of U.S. history, but experts say they're spreading faster and wider than ever before.

'More Dangerous And More Widespread': Conspiracy Theories Spread Faster Than Ever

7:26am March 02, 2021

by Joel Rose

While false conspiracies aren't new, experts say their reach is spreading – accelerated by social media, encouraged by former President Trump, and weaponized in a way that is unprecedented.

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Protesters gather outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 in Washington, D.C., some with signs and symbols of Christianity. Pro-Trump protesters entered the U.S. Capitol that day after mass demonstrations in the nation's capital.

Evangelical Leaders Condemn 'Radicalized Christian Nationalism'

11:28am February 24, 2021

by Sarah McCammon

In response to the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, more than 100 evangelical leaders have published a statement calling on other church heads to speak out against Christian nationalism in their ranks.

Protesters gather at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Later that day, the Capitol building was breached by a violent mob driven by what's commonly known as "the big lie": that President Biden wasn't legitimately elected.

Disinformation Fuels A White Evangelical Movement. It Led 1 Virginia Pastor To Quit

1:15pm February 21, 2021

Some evangelical circles have incubated and spread conspiracy theories for years. It's part of a movement called Christian nationalism that researchers call a threat to American democracy.

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