Everything Is Connected: Conspiracy Theories in the Age of the Internet

万物互联：互联网时代的阴谋论

基本信息

批准号：
AH/V001213/1
负责人：
Peter Knight
金额：
$ 100.16万
依托单位：
University of Manchester
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Research Grant
财政年份：
2021
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2021 至无数据
项目状态：
未结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=AH%2FV001213%2F1
关键词：
Everything Connected Conspiracy Theories Age

项目摘要

Conspiracy theories are increasingly rife on the Internet. With their potential for spreading virally, they can reach large audiences across the globe. In their relentless drive to connect the dots into one over-arching explanation, conspiracy theories seem to be made for the hyperlinked world of the Internet. Once marginal ideas now readily find an online community of believers. Although conspiracy theories encountered online are at times merely harmless entertainment or a sign of healthy scepticism, they can also lead to a loss of faith in scientific authorities and expert knowledge, to political disengagement, and even to violence. This research project addresses the question of how and why the Internet has changed conspiracy theories.Combining the 'close reading' techniques of cultural studies and ethnography with the 'distant reading' possibilities offered by big data methods, the project will analyse the difference that the Internet has made to the production, aesthetics and consumption of conspiracy theories. The team brings together cultural studies researchers and a cutting-edge lab that is developing new methods for the analysis and data visualisation of online conspiracy culture. Using digital methods, we will first map out the scale and scope of contemporary conspiracy theory culture in both the mainstream and the 'deep' web. This will shed light on the forms of conspiracy theory that generate the most engagement; how they spread on particular platforms; the role of recommendation algorithms; and the identity, connectedness and political stance of the main creators of conspiracy content. The second strand of research will place the production and transmission of conspiracy theories on the Internet in historical perspective, comparing earlier moments of 'new media' transformation (such as radio), and tracing how conspiracy theories have changed as the Internet itself has evolved over the last half century. By examining the content moderation policies, this strand will also consider how various digital platforms encourage or hinder the exchange of conspiracy theories online. The third research strand will focus on the form and function of online conspiracism by focusing on its dominant images, metaphors and narratives. In particular we will consider whether the ease of creating links on websites tends to push conspiracy theories to more elaborate, hyper-connected forms. The fourth research strand will study how conspiracy theories are consumed and appropriated on the Internet. Where psychology has tried to identify the personality traits that attract people to conspiracy theories, our research will use an ethnographic approach to analyse online discussion fora and conduct interviews with conspiracy theorists to determine how their encounter with conspiracy theories helps forge individual and group identities, for better or worse. In the final strand we will also assess when online conspiracism turns harmful, and what, if anything, can be done about it.The main outcome of the project will be a definitive book that sets out the findings of the research. In collaboration with the Institute of Education and the charity Sense About Science, we will develop workshops and materials (a) to train school teachers how to deal with the problem of conspiracy theories in the classroom, including creating educational materials for use with young people and (b) to help scientists and science communicators address conspiracy theories about e.g. climate change and vaccinations. Working with the think tank Demos, we will hold a high-profile end-of-project event and produce a report for stakeholders.

阴谋理论在互联网上越来越多。凭借其传播的潜力，他们可以吸引全球的大量观众。在他们不懈地将这些点连接到一个超大的解释中，似乎是为互联网的超链接世界创造的阴谋论。一旦边际想法，现在很容易找到一个在线信徒社区。尽管在线遇到的阴谋理论有时只是无害的娱乐或健康怀疑主义的迹象，但它们也可能导致对科学当局和专家知识，政治脱离接触甚至暴力的信心丧失。该研究项目解决了互联网如何以及为什么改变阴谋论的问题。通过大数据方法提供的“遥远阅读”可能性的“近距离阅读”技术，该项目将分析互联网对生产，美学，美学和混音理论的消费的差异。该团队汇集了文化研究研究人员和一个尖端的实验室，该实验室正在开发新方法，以分析和数据可视化在线阴谋文化。使用数字方法，我们将首先绘制主流和“深”网络中当代阴谋论文化的规模和范围。这将阐明产生最合适的阴谋论的形式。它们如何在特定平台上传播；建议算法的作用；以及阴谋内容主要创造者的身份，联系和政治立场。第二链研究将以历史的角度将阴谋论的生产和传播在互联网上，比较“新媒体”转型的早期时刻（例如广播），并追踪随着互联网本身在过去半个世纪的发展，阴谋论的变化如何变化。通过检查内容审核策略，该链还将考虑各种数字平台如何鼓励或阻碍在线共谋理论的交流。第三项研究链将通过关注其主要图像，隐喻和叙事来重点关注在线阴谋主义的形式和功能。特别是，我们将考虑在网站上建立链接的便利性是否倾向于将阴谋理论推向更详细的，超连接的形式。第四研究链将研究如何在互联网上消耗和拨出阴谋论。在心理学试图确定吸引人们参与阴谋论的人格特征的地方，我们的研究将使用人种学方法来分析在线讨论，并与阴谋理论家进行访谈，以确定他们与阴谋理论的相遇如何有助于锻造个人和团体身份，以使他们变得更好或更糟。在最后的链中，我们还将评估在线阴谋主义何时有害，如果有的话，该项目的主要结果将是一本确定研究结果的确定性书籍。通过与教育研究所和关于科学的慈善意识合作，我们将开发研讨会和材料（a）来培训学校教师如何处理课堂上的阴谋理论问题，包括创建与年轻人一起使用的教育材料，并（b）帮助科学家和科学沟通者解决有关例如。气候变化和疫苗接种。与智囊团演示合作，我们将举办一个备受瞩目的项目末期活动，并为利益相关者提供报告。