What is QAnon?
A primer on the internet conspiracy taking over Americans’ screens, and how it has affected people’s relationships with family and friends.
The resurgence of Pizzagate conspiracy theories or the influx of posts about #SaveTheChildren that can be found on social media are part of a larger, wild network of conspiracy theories called QAnon, and its rising popularity makes it increasingly dangerous.
At its core, followers believe that the world is run by a secretive, elite political faction of Satan-worshipping pedophiles, scheming against President Donald Trump, who is the appointed savior taking down the “deep state.”
The QAnon conspiracy first began on 4chan, which is infamous for its unchecked spread of bigoted, sometimes violent and graphic content. QAnon started when an anonymous account named “Q Clearance Patriot,” claimed to have Q-level clearance, which is granted to Department of Energy employees that can access classified information.
Those who believe in the theory follow “drops,” or posts. They’re cryptic and code-like to those who aren’t invested, and in the past have claimed to know future events, of which they have been swiftly debunked. However, most followers of QAnon simply do not care, or create alternative explanations for why they were wrong.
Q has long predicted that mass arrests of “deep state” members would take place on certain dates. As these days have come and gone, no arrests have been made that would prove any of these unfounded theories as correct.
Some Q followers believe that Trump secretly worked with special counsel Robert Mueller, who investigated Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. According to this narrative, the contents of the Mueller Report would exonarate Trump, and with it, take down members of this cabal, like the Clintons or former president Barack Obama. The Mueller Report all but exonerated Trump, and none of the supposed “deep state” members were arrested.
In other instances, QAnon believers look to seemingly menial things like the color of the president’s tie, for example, as a quiet message of support.
The growth of QAnon has led to consequences outside of online message boards.The FBI says that QAnon is a potential domestic terror threat. Bomb threats, attempts at murders and kidnappings and destruction of property have all been traced back to followers of QAnon who say they felt called to the cause, thinking they are taking down pedophiles and criminals.
Most recently, QAnon supporters have made their way to Congress – Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA) and Lauren Boebert (CO) were just elected. According to Media Matters, at least 19 Republican candidates either supported QAnon or boosted the conspiracy on social media.
The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to conspiracy theories that have thrived in QAnon circles. Some claim the pandemic is a scheme to cover up child sex trafficking, and parrot anti-vaccination rhetoric. This has led to followers downplaying the risks of the virus, and not following measures that have been proven to keep people safe.
As nonsensical as this sounds, it has garnered a cult following of people from different backgrounds. Those who already distrust the mainstream media, for example, take comfort in having a group that believes they are part of a group that “sees the light.” For those who have been frustrated by the state of politics, QAnon offers them convenient explanations for their problems, no matter how far-fetched and dangerous they are.
QAnon has strained personal relationships between those who are deep into the conspiracy theory, and those who see it as a farce. On Reddit, the subreddit r/QAnonCasualties has grown to be a safe haven for those who have seen their loved ones become disallusioned by QAnon.
“I’m[19 years old] and I feel like I just lost my whole family… to this,” said one user. “Since quarantine, my mom has been on Facebook a lot more… Now she posts those conspiracies daily on her own Facebook and Instagram and is constantly sharing what she finds in family group chats.”
Said another worried teen, “I’m still in high school and for months over quarantine I’ve dealt with my family talking about these theories…
“Like so many others, I fear I’m losing my family. I’ve seen my mom grow more and more… conspiratal. She’s a wonderful woman and I love her deeply, but I’m scared of what she’s becoming. I’m not sure if she’s found QAnon yet in its entirety but I fear for the future.”