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The conspiracy theory group known as QAnon has grown in popularity in recent months. It has spread from fringe message boards to mainstream platforms, and it has increasingly become a political issue. Here is what we know about QAnon, its conspiracy theory and how it started.
What is QAnon?
QAnon is a far right-wing, loosely organized network and community of believers who embrace a wide range of unsubstantiated theories. These views center around the tenet that a cabal of Satan-worshipping pedophiles, mainly consisting of what they see as elitist Democrats, politicians, journalists, entertainment moguls and other institutional figures, have long controlled much of the “deep state” government, which they say seeks to undermine President Trump, mostly with aid of media and entertainment outlets.
What is the QAnon conspiracy theory?
QAnon conspiracy theory alleges that there is a battle of good versus evil in which the Republican Mr. Trump sides with the former. QAnon followers are awaiting two major events: the Storm and the Great Awakening. The Storm is the mass arrest of people in high-power positions who will face a long-awaited reckoning. The Great Awakening involves a single event in which everyone will reach the epiphany that QAnon theory was accurate the whole time. This realization will allow society to enter an age of utopia.
Who is “Q”?
Followers believe that “Q” is a high-ranking government insider, presumably with a military or intelligence background, committed to exposing the hidden truth of what they see as an international bureaucracy scheming against Mr. Trump and his supporters. Some followers believe that “Q” often sends coded signals of his or her existence, using the number 17, the letter Q’s placement in the alphabet. Oftentimes, online posts behind QAnon conspiracy theories have described “Q” as a patriot or saint.
Where and how did QAnon start?
In October 2017, messages on the anonymous online messaging board 4chan attributed to “Q Clearance Patriot” were posted and signed off by a user known as “Q,” referencing the Energy Department’s highest level of security clearance regarding nuclear weapons known as “Q clearance.” These cryptic messages would later be referred to as Q drops or breadcrumbs, clandestine code that often made their way into pro-Trump slogans, messages and followers.
A year prior, a man armed with an assault rifle fired one or more shots inside Comet Ping Pong, a Washington, D.C., pizza restaurant, and was later arrested. Before the shooting, Trump supporters and white supremacists on social media spread a false conspiracy theory asserting that Hillary Clinton and her former campaign chairman, John Podesta, ran a child sex ring in the basement of a pizzeria that had no basement. The shooting has since been considered a precursor to QAnon.
How popular is QAnon?
A new analysis finds that groups perpetuating QAnon conspiracy theory have increased in popularity on Facebook and Instagram since the start of the coronavirus pandemic due to people spending more time at home and in front of screens. One Facebook group known as QAnon News & Updates-Intel drops, breadcrumbs, & the war against the Cabal increased its membership by more than 10 times from Jan. 1 to Aug. 1 of this year.
What are Twitter and Facebook doing to address QAnon?
Twitter has said it would increase enforcement against QAnon conspiracy followers. According to Twitter, the social media platform has banned more than 7,000 QAnon-related accounts in recent weeks, hoping to limit the reach and distribution of up to 150,000 accounts worldwide. Additionally, the platform will no longer highlight QAnon-related posts in searches or recommendations.
Facebook recently removed a group called Official Q/Qanon of nearly 200,000 members for violating the platform’s policies on misinformation, bullying, hate speech and harassment. An investigation earlier this year by the company resulted in the removal of five pages, 20 Facebook accounts and six groups originating in the U.S. that “linked this activity to individuals associated with the QAnon network known to spread fringe conspiracy theories.”
Facebook said its probe was “part of [our] internal investigations into suspected coordinated inauthentic behavior ahead of the 2020 election in the U.S.” Facebook is investigating further action against QAnon.
Is QAnon dangerous?
A memo released in May by the Federal Bureau of Investigation identified QAnon as a potential domestic terrorism threat, citing at least two incidents connecting QAnon with the planning and execution of violent acts.
Write to Eleanore Park at Eleanore.Park@wsj.com