Keeping the Internet safe for the Normies
Days before the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, masked men appearing to be associated with Second Sons Canada displayed a “Got bones?” banner in Kamloops.
I looked at the response from Derek Harrison, DerekRants online, who identifies with Second Sons online, and his earlier posts about residential school burials. My new piece examines how denialism moves from online posts into public acts of intimidation and why the response matters.
Next week I’ll be presenting some of my new research on the intersection of religion, conspiracy theories, and online extremism at the JCRT online conference, Religion, Politics, and Cognitive Warfare: Information, Interpretation, Conspiracy, and the Struggle for Reality.
My paper, “Religion, Conspiracies, and Hate: Orthobros and Catholic Crusades on Social Media,” looks at the growing use of crusader and medieval Catholic imagery online, including the Knights Templar, “Christ is King,” and other historical and religious narratives, and how these become entangled with conspiracy theories, nationalism, and extremist politics.
I’m particularly interested in what happens when imagined histories migrate through social media and become tools for constructing contemporary religious, extremist, and political identities.
I’ll be presenting Thursday, October 1, as part of the opening panel on Evangelicalism & Christian Nationalism.
The conference is online, and the full program and registration information are available here.
Fear is trending.
Not just on X, but in our politics, our conspiracy theories, and increasingly in how we understand the world around us.
Who gets to decide which fears are “rational”? Who profits from keeping us afraid? And what happens when fear overwhelms critical thinking?
I wrote about fear, Trump, Carney, conspiracy theories, echo chambers—and the people making bank from our anxiety.
Grocery bills. Gas prices. Angry truckers. A rumoured October 1 strike. And a whole lot of fear circulating online.
This week I look at what happens when very real economic anxiety collides with social media, conspiracy theories and disinformation, and why a sense of helplessness can make simple explanations and promises of control so powerful.
Also, naturally, there’s a cocktail. 🍸
A senior U.S. official reportedly worried that a bull statue at an American exhibition could evoke Baal: the ancient deity who has recently acquired a very strange second life in online conspiracy culture.
That headline is funny.
What’s underneath it is much more interesting.
This week the unofficial Allison Inquiry was held in Ottawa, for those who were harmed by Covid Vaccines. Instead of stories, we find a complex web of conspiracies, sowing distrust of media, and what one organizers explains as a “Freedom Bubble”
Playing on the idea of three truths and a lie, I reveal the lies being posted today by far right Canadian influencers, and Bruce McAllister. McAllister is the Executive Director of Danielle Smith’s office. The lies and hate against Prime Minister Carney are shaping the beliefs of Maple MAGA, and having an impact on our country’s democracy.
Far right female influencers play an integral role influencing politics in Canada, through conspiracy theories, hate, racism, and themes of Christian persecution. Grifting and spreading hate, just as their male counterparts online, these women are hoping to mobilize the far right in Canada.
As Canadians unite against Trump’s renaming Lake Ontario, the right wing echo chamber is capitalizing on this moment to grift, share ideologies, and champion Maple Maga loyalties. While arguing Canadians erased white men, such as Ryerson, and MacDonald, they argue we can’t now be upset that a white man in power is doing the same. It’s amazing how white men need so much coddling and have zero comprehension of the obvious.
Conspiracy theories about meat in America are on the rise, as Trump supporters cry about economics, and support the war on Canada. Canada is petty and hilarious in its response via tariffs. Up shit creek indeed.