The Viral Genesis of Pizzagate: a Study in Digital Conspiracy Theory
Words: 461 1525In the annals of internet lore, few conspiracy theories have garnered as much attention or incited as much controversy as Pizzagate. This theory, which emerged during the contentious 2016 U.S. presidential election, falsely alleged that high-ranking Democratic Party officials were involved in a child sex trafficking ring operated out of a Washington, D.C., pizzeria. While utterly baseless, the origins and spread of Pizzagate offer a compelling study of the power of digital platforms in propagating unfounded narratives and the societal […]