1. "Gateway Conspiracy": Distrust of the COVID-19 Pandemic as a Gateway to Conspiracy Theories.
- Author
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Taboada-Villamarín, Alba, Romero-Reche, Alejandro, and Torres-Albero, Cristóbal
- Subjects
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COVID-19 pandemic , *SOCIAL network analysis , *COLLECTIVE representation , *CONSPIRACY theories , *BIG data , *SUSPICION - Abstract
The article examines how distrust regarding the COVID-19 pandemic has served as a catalyst for the diffusion of conspiracy theories. It discusses the nature of conspiracy theories, their relationship with institutional distrust, and their representation in the social media. The methodology used is based on the analysis of hashtags from over one million tweets to determine if certain theories act as "gateways" to others. The findings suggest that logical ties exist between distinct conspiracy theories, influenced by distrust towards specific institutions and amplified by the COVID-19 crisis. It is concluded that the combination of conspiracy theories is not random, but rather, it follows an internal logic that is based on distrust, since these theories are interconnected in an internally coherent way within the context of the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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