‘When people gather in groups, bizarre behaviors often emerge’: How the rise of online social networks has catapulted dysfunctional thinking

By Fatima Seeme, David Green, Carlo Kopp – LiveScience

The pervasive spread of misinformation can be tracked to cognitive limitations, social influence and the global spread of online networks. Combatting it has become an “arms race” between truth and lies.

When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, a bizarre conspiracy theory swept through global social media: that the disease was caused by radio-frequency emissions from 5G cell phone towers. The wild theories spread across social media platforms. The belief in this conspiracy was so fervent that the media reported more than 100 incidents of arson and vandalism against 5G (and 4G) infrastructure, as well as numerous instances of abusive or threatening behavior against telecommunications workers.