‘Through the looking glass’: How conspiracy theories wreck lives

A file photo of protesters waving a flag featuring Trump during a demonstration called by far-right and Covid-19 deniers to protest against restrictions related to the new coronavirus pandemic in Berlin. A Reddit forum offers its members support for dealing with people close to them who subscribe to outlandish claims, with hostility towards Covid-19 vaccinations now high on the list of topics. — AFP

PARIS: Suddenly a loved one becomes a stranger. A dad, a mom or a friend lost to a parallel world made up of conspiracy theories and dangerous fantasies destroying couples and families.

Some call conspiracy theories the evil of the century. Others say they are a reflection of a world starved of meaning. Either way, they are spreading fast on the Internet, with very real consequences offline.