December 2024
Why is my teen talking about ‘ocean aliens’?
A rumour has been circulating online that recent US congressional hearings uncovered the existence of aliens living in our oceans. Could it be true?
- Rachael Bolton
January 2024
Conspiracy theories are nonsense – until they feel right
Nobody is a conspiracy theorist in their own mind. Those who believe the moon landings were faked are presumably just as confident as I am.
- Ed Cumming
September 2023
Conspiracy theories are derailing the Yes vote
Disinformation expert Tyson Yunkaporta says false ideas spread like weeds and can put doubt into the minds of the most rational people.
- Theo Chapman
October 2022
Musk helps spread misinformation about Pelosi attack
The tweet came on the heels of his vow in an open letter to advertisers that Twitter would not become a freewheeling site that allowed entirely unfettered commentary.
- Kurtis Lee
Alex Jones ordered to pay $1.5b for Sandy Hook hoax lies
The popular conspiracy theorist was hit with a second massive award for damages for his lies about the US school massacre.
- Updated
- Laurel Brubaker Calkins
August 2022
Alex Jones’ $65m verdict and the future of misinformation
US courts have long held that defamatory statements – falsehoods damaging the reputation of a person or a business – aren’t protected as free speech, but lies about other subjects, like science, history or the government, are.
- Michael Sisak
February 2022
Government offers $61m boost to tackle violent extremism
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews is concerned about the risk of conspiracy theorists turning violent.
- Andrew Tillett
December 2021
‘Conspiracy of everything’ - QAnon lives on without ‘Q’
The conspiracy movement has taken on a life of its own that no longer requires predictions from its shadowy leader.
- Davey Alba
September 2021
- Opinion
- September 11 attacks
September 11 lies just won’t go away
Large numbers of Americans believe the US government was behind 9/11. But the conspiracy theories also ebb and flow with party-political trends.
- David Byler and Kate Woodsome
August 2021
Conspiracies reign supreme in locked down Byron Bay
The tourist mecca confronts a potential outbreak that threatens to push the region’s hospital system beyond its limits.
- Michael Read
June 2021
Labor claims national security risk over PM’s friend’s QAnon ties
Shadow treasurer Jim Chalmers said revelations about the conspiracy theory were “incredibly creepy”.
- Tom McIlroy
No government pressure to pull QAnon story: ABC chief
ABC chief David Anderson also tells a Senate estimates hearing the broadcaster’s defamation battle with Christian Porter cost taxpayers $780,000.
- Andrew Tillett
‘Deeply offensive’: Morrison slams ABC over conspiracy theory link
In the latest fight between the government and the broadcaster, the ABC boss insists the story about the QAnon conspiracy theory has not been pulled or blocked.
- Andrew Tillett
February 2021
Trump’s DC hotel hikes prices for day QAnon thinks he’ll be sworn in
March 4 this year is the date that the conspiracy theorists think Donald Trump will be made US President instead of Joe Biden.
- Updated
- Joshua Zitser
January 2021
'No plan, no Q, nothing': QAnon followers reel as Biden inaugurated
Followers of the conspiracy theory have been dealt a harsh reality check.
- Joseph Menn, Elizabeth Culliford, Katie Paul and Carrie Monahan
'We all got played': QAnon fans in shock as reality of defeat dawns
As Joe Biden was sworn in peacefully and Donald Trump slunk away to Florida, many extremist conspiracy theorists finally began to wonder if they had been duped.
- Drew Harwell and Craig Timberg
November 2020
How activist K-pop fans are trolling QAnon
Activist fans of South Korean pop music have taken the fight to the conspiracy heartland by trolling the trolls.
- Olivia Carville
October 2020
Trump's comments on QAnon celebrated by far-right groups
Donald Trump's response to a question from NBC's Savannah Guthrie offered a shot of validation to the baseless conspiracy theory.
- Craig Timberg
QAnon was on the fringe until this Citigroup executive came along
While he was working at Citi, Jason Gelinas took QAnon mainstream, delivering its theories to a wider audience of soccer mums, white-collar workers and other 'normies'.
- William Turton and Joshua Brustein
- Analysis
- Angela Merkel
QAnon is thriving in Germany, and the extreme right is delighted
In Germany, like in the United States, far-right activists were the first to make QAnon an unexpected and volatile new political element when the authorities were already struggling to root out extremist networks.
- Updated
- Katrin Bennhold