New research provides evidence that social media usage, particularly at higher frequencies, is associated with heightened belief in conspiracy theories. But the relationship between social media use and conspiracy beliefs only exists among people who have a strong conspiratorial mindset. The findings, published in the journal Political Behavior, suggest that social media does not promote the belief in conspiracy theories among the general population. ...

New research provides evidence that social media usage, particularly at higher frequencies, is associated with heightened belief in conspiracy theories. But the relationship between social media use and conspiracy beliefs only exists among people who have a strong conspiratorial mindset. The findings, published in the journal Political Behavior, suggest that social media does not promote the belief in conspiracy theories among the general population.