What is a Conspiration Theory?

“The belief that events are secretly manipulated behind the scenes by powerful forces with negative intent.” (UNESCO)

They tend to have a Manichean view of the world, divided into bad people plotting to abuse the good and innocent ones to serve their own interests, often political ones. These theories are allegedly based on evidence, that are nothing more than facts taken out of their context or even completely fake facts.

If some of them are so popular it is because they seem to explain distressing situations that are not easy to understand and accept such as the Covid-19 pandemic.