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.
Political scientists say growing acceptance of unfounded conspiracy theories is fueling disengagement and distrust in democratic institutions, an effect that is trickling down to local politics.
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.
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.
The recent attack on the U.S. Capitol is a reminder of the potentially deadly impact of disinformation that is spreading online. Experts say there are several possible strategies for dealing with it.
President Trump is continuing to spread lies and misinformation about the 2020 general election, including a false claim that Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is related to Ron Raffensperger, CTO of Chinese technology firm Huawei. While Raffensperger does have siblings, including a brother, none of them are named Ron.
Hoaxes and misleading posts aimed at depressing turnout have spread on social media. Experts say it outpaces 2016, when Black voters were the top target of Russian-backed disinformation.
On this episode of Battleground: Ballot Box, we hear from ProPublica's Jessica Huseman about the best ways to guard against election misinformation in the final days of the 2020 campaign.
Health communication experts say that misinformation spread through support groups can undermine trust in medicine and science. But some patients work to counter falsehoods with facts.
National security officials say Russia is again trying to disrupt the election. But this time, it doesn't have to work so hard because Americans are spreading mistruths and doubts about the election.
