28%<\/strong> believe in mandatory ID verification.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nAliens built the pyramids, billionaires are lizard people, and the world is a perfectly flat disc. Left-field beliefs have always existed, but the list of conspiracy theories has only grown and spread since the advent of social media \u2014 and it isn\u2019t just the eccentric crowd sharing them.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a common stereotype that people who believe in conspiracy theories are paranoid, obsessive, and blind to the truth. Yet, EduBirdie recently surveyed 2000 Gen Z Americans on their attitudes toward conspiracy theories, and the results show that if you don\u2019t hold an unproven belief that others would laugh at, you\u2019re the odd one out.<\/p>\n
![\"Gen](\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/blog.site\/files\/1_1742305935.png\")
<\/p>\n
Spend 10 minutes scrolling on social media, and you\u2019re bound to learn something interesting. The question is, is it true? From government cover-ups to celebrity rumors, the internet is rife with unproven theories passed off as fact \u2014 and there\u2019s a high chance you\u2019ve shared some of it unknowingly. Whether intentional or unaware, 41%<\/strong> of Gen Zers admit they\u2019ve shared or created conspiracy theory content.<\/p>\n<\/span>What ifs: The top conspiracy theories that make Gen Z click<\/span><\/h2>\n![\"Conspiracy](\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/blog.site\/files\/4_1742305937.png\")
<\/p>\n
There may be no proof, but 77% of Gen Zers are adamant that at least one of the more popular conspiracy theories is true \u2014 whether it\u2019s Satanic Taylor Swift,\u00a0 Britney Spears\u2019 clone, or Illuminati leader Beyonc\u00e9.<\/p>\n
However, with Donald Trump such a divisive talking point, it\u2019s no wonder he\u2019s the face of today\u2019s most common conspiracies. Some 35% believe the pre-election assassination attempt was staged, and 20% insist Trump is a KGB agent, while many are divided over whether Elon Musk or Melania really wear the trousers.<\/p>\n
![\"Conspiracy](\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/blog.site\/files\/5_1742305938.png\")
<\/p>\n
According to Gen Zers, the moon landing was fake (28%), time travel exists (27%), and we\u2019re living in a simulation (22%).<\/p>\n
But if there\u2019s one conspiracy that the young generation agrees on, it\u2019s that we\u2019re not alone in the universe, the Roswell incident wasn\u2019t a military balloon, and Area 51 is home to a few Greys\u2014with 52% certain the government is hiding evidence of alien life.<\/p>\n
![\"Gen](\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/blog.site\/files\/6_1742305945.png\")
<\/p>\n
While most conspiracy theories are divisive, 67% of Gen Zers agree that our smartphones are being used to listen to every conversation we have \u2014 no matter how much big tech insists otherwise.<\/p>\n
Whether Covid-19 was a hoax, climate change doesn\u2019t exist, or a secret world order controls global affairs, 84% of Gen Zers insist that not everything in the world is as it seems or as we\u2019re told.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s not to say they\u2019re wrong\u2026 From MKUltra \u2014 the CIA\u2019s mind-control project \u2014 to Big Tobacco\u2019s cancer cover-up\u2014there have been plenty of conspiracies that were true in the past, so why not today?<\/p>\n
<\/span>Viral to verified: Shutting down social media conspiracies<\/span><\/h2>\n![\"Gen](\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/blog.site\/files\/3_1742305936.png\")
<\/p>\n
Until recently, it was the norm for social media platforms to offer fact-checking measures and warning labels on controversial posts to combat conspiracy theories and misinformation. However, many popular platforms have scaled back these efforts, prioritizing free speech over content moderation.<\/p>\n
Yet, not everyone agrees that leaving users to sort fact and fiction themselves is the right approach, with 24% of Gen Zers insisting that social media platforms should censor conspiracy theory content.<\/p>\n
![\"Data](\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/blog.site\/files\/2_1742305935.png\")
<\/p>\n
What fuels the spread of conspiracy theories on social media? Anonymity often plays a part, allowing misinformation to flourish without accountability. To address this, 28% of Gen Zers believe internet users should have to register using their real name and ID number, linking their online presence to their real identity. For supporters, it\u2019s a safety measure, but for skeptics? It\u2019s just another way for the secret world order to track our every move.<\/p>\n
With social media a stomping ground for conspiracy theories, the line between trending topics and the truth is blurred. There\u2019s always an alternative theory \u2014 and for Gen Z, it\u2019s often more believable than the truth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Key takeaways: With conspiracy theories rife on social media, 41% of Gen Zers admit they have shared or created it themselves. 67% of Gen Zers believe smartphones are secret listening devices, while 52% believe the Government is covering up evidence of aliens, and 33% say Elon Musk is secretly running the country. 24% believe social […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"entity":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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![\"Gen](\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/blog.site\/files\/Cover%20_%202_1742305011.png\")
<\/p>\n