Don’t blame social media for conspiracy theories – they would still flourish without it

This opinion article argues that attributing the spread of conspiracy theories solely to the internet and social media is overly simplistic. While journalists, activists, and politicians blame social media for spreading such theories, the article contends that conspiracy theories have existed and proliferated long before the digital age. For instance, the widespread belief in conspiracy theories about President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in the 1960s illustrates that these beliefs have deep historical roots and are not solely a product of modern technology.