Deeper down the rabbit hole: How technology conspiracy beliefs emerge and foster a conspiracy mindset

JULY 19, 2024
Editors' notes
by University of Göttingen

As technology proliferates, misinformation and conspiracy theories seem to flourish. Conspiracy beliefs specifically about technology include popular commercial technologies, such as Amazon Echo and Google Search, as well as non-profit technologies designed to support health, such as contact tracing apps.

These conspiracy beliefs are well-known, as is the way that technology speeds up the spread of misinformation. However, less well-understood is what characterizes technology conspiracy theories and what makes people believe in them.

A new study, conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Göttingen and other universities, is the first to demonstrate the extent, causes and consequences of these beliefs. The results were published in the journal Information Systems Research.

In an initial survey of more than 1,000 people in the U.S. who were representative of the general population, the authors found that technology conspiracy beliefs were surprisingly widespread. From the data, for 6 out of 10 different conspiracy theories relating to technology, at least 20% of the participants knew about the theory; and for 5 out of 10 of these theories, at least 20% believed in them.

For example, 67% of respondents have heard of and 36% agreed with the notion that Amazon Echo smart speakers eavesdrop on users even when the device is turned off, in order to manipulate the population.

More:
https://phys.org/news/2024-07-deeper-rabbit-hole-technology-conspiracy.html