The UK had one of the highest pandemic vaccination rates in the world, and, compared to other countries, it’s not as prone to conspiracy theories. This is exactly why the results of a new inquiry in the UK are so concerning. From conspiracy theories around immigrants to outright bizarre beliefs that urbanistic concepts are a sham, millions of people in the UK appear to be succumbing to a myriad of unfounded beliefs.

In recent years, conspiracy theories have become normalized across the world. While these misconceptions span a wide range of topics, they share come common roots. The fostering of mistrust and suspicion toward the government, the media, and established social institutions is one such root. During the pandemic, this was only exacerbated.

Trust in governments declined during the pandemic. Even as the virus killed millions worldwide, people’s pandemic distrust reached record highs.

But the pandemic isn’t the only thing that fueled conspiracy theories. From the “Great Replacement” (the idea that white Americans and Europeans are being replaced by non-white immigrants) to the “Terrorism Cover-Up” (which posits that the media and government are involved in a conspiracy to cover up terrorist attacks), these conspiracy theories have reached fertile soil. These conspiracy theories are not merely confined to fringe online forums or private chats. Instead, they have infiltrated mainstream discourse, often exacerbated by politicians and people with a platform, who have the power to amplify and rapidly disseminate misinformation.

In fact, for many people, conspiracy theories have become the lens through which they see the world.

“These findings underline the importance of conspiracy theories in explaining how many people understand politics and the events which shape their lives,” said Rod Dacombe, a reader in politics in the department of political economy at King’s College London, for the Guardian. “For some people, conspiracy theories provide the main focus of political participation and the primary means through which they understand what is going on in the world.”

Many conspiracy theorists want violence

The findings come on the eve of the first evidence session of the UK’s public inquiry into the pandemic. Even the “15-minute city” — an urban planning concept in which most daily necessities and services, such as work, shopping, education, healthcare, and leisure can be easily reached by a 15-minute walk or bike ride — can spur conspiracy theories.

• The ‘great replacement’ theory suggests that white Americans and Europeans are being replaced by non-white immigrants.
• The '15-minute cities' conspiracy theory proposes that such urban planning initiatives are government attempts to surveil people and restrict freedoms.
• The terrorism 'cover-up' theory posits that the media and government are conspiring to cover up information about UK terror attacks.
• The cost of living crisis conspiracy theory suggests this crisis is a government plot to control the public.
• The 'great reset' theory indicates that the World Economic Forum initiative is a conspiracy to impose a totalitarian world government.

The data also showed that people tend to underestimate the number of conspiracy theorists. But perhaps what's even more striking about the survey is how people react to conspiracy theories. Around 1 in 7 people in the UK (so around 6 million adults) believe violence is a fair response to some alleged conspiracies.

“Protest is a key part of a healthy democracy and people will have sometimes legitimate concerns about the motivations behind government and others’ actions, but it’s worrying that around one in seven say that violence would be acceptable in protests against, for example, government digital currencies or 15-minute cities,” said Prof. Bobby Duffy, the director of the Policy Institute at KCL, to the Guardian.

Fighting conspiracy theories

Conspiracy theories often spawn from actual problems. Governments often screw up or aren't transparent. The media sometimes does a poor job, or is biased. This is, in part, why it's so difficult to challenge them. To make matters even worse, these conspiracy beliefs are often fueled and amplified on social networks. The lack of proper media education and literacy, and critical thinking shortcomings are the cherry on top.

There's no silver bullet to fight conspiracy theories. Most entrenched methods, such as outright arguing with people or bombarding them with facts rarely work. Even when the facts are easily verifiable. Understanding the scientific method, deploying critical thinking, and building media literacy can help people distinguish between credible information and conspiracy theories -- but this doesn't happen overnight.

However, this is what we need to tackle this disinformation crisis. Of course, ensuring fact checking on social networks is also important, as much disinformation is propagated on such platform. The survey also found that conspiracy websites such as Breitbard, The Light, or 21st Century Wire are fueling disinformation and conspiracy theories.

With social networks acting as catalysts, and conspiracy websites fueling disinformation, we as a society need to do more. We need to ensure these platforms are not breeding grounds for unfounded theories. Fact-checking, algorithmic transparency, and measures to limit the spread of harmful misinformation all have a role to play in this ongoing challenge.

The findings only refer to the UK, but these issues are not confined to UK borders; conspiracy theories are a global issue with implications far beyond a single nation. The findings bear global significance, reminding us that conspiracy theories are not just an isolated problem but a worldwide concern that demands our attention and action.