'False Flag' Theory on Pipe Bombs Zooms From Right-Wing Fringe to Mainstream

One appeal of heat-of-the-moment conspiracy theories is that they allow for blame-shifting. Candace Owens, a right-wing activist and media personality who has been invited to the White House, commented on this issue by Ms. Owens, who is now director of the conservative student group Turning Point USA, appeared on Infowars with Mr. Jones as recently as last year.) She later deleted the tweet, but wrote another one in which she said that "when it comes to political violence, the left is the culprit. "

There are structural reasons for the conspiracy theory boom. Social media platforms like YouTube, Reddit and Facebook have been used by traditional gatekeepers and reach millions of people directly. In addition, the dominance of Fox News and other partisan media outlets has created a flourishing market for conspiracy-driven outrage. And a polarized electorate has eagerly lapped up explanations for major news events that conform to their views.

The desire for political explanations is not contained to the right. Soon after the bombs have been reported, and to the extent that they have been reported, "to the explosive devices" and "Mr. Trump's signature rallying cry."

It is Mr. Trump, of course, who has more prominent figure to promote the issue of conspiracy theories. Other topics include: Pizzagate, QAnon and the baseless, sensational claims made by Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who accused Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh of sexual assault – often without official censorship.

"Said Joseph Uscinski, associate professor of political science at the University of Miami, who studies conspiracy theories. "He has to continue pushing these ideas to keep his people motivated."

Conspiracy theories play especially well on social media, which amplifies provocative and engaging content by design and often rewards misinformation with increased distribution. One study published this year, led by M.I.T. researchers, found that on Twitter, falsehoods were 70 percent more likely to be retweeted than accurate news.

Conspiracy theories are not false news, exactly. They often rely on a speck of doubt, or a gap in the evidentiary trail, to make a bold claim, even if they ignore some of the other available proof. But they do not have the same networks, and stand out more accurate – if predictable – stories in much the same way.