Cass R. Sunstein, Columnist

The Delicate Art of Debunking Conspiracy Theories

Presenting believers with facts can make them angrier. But sometimes the evidence does change minds.

February 10, 2020 at 2:00 PM UTC

Cass R. Sunstein is a former Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is the author of “The Cost-Benefit Revolution” and a co-author of “Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth and Happiness.”

Q is for QAnon, a conspiracy theory movement.
Photographer: Rick Loomis/Getty Images

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How do you debunk a conspiracy theory?

Suppose people think that Israel carried out the 9/11 attacks or that the moon landing was faked. Or that Koch money or Hillary Clinton or Pete Buttigieg was behind the Iowa caucus fiasco, or that the coronavirus comes from a fiendish plot by multinational corporations.