If you have blown through your favorite Netflix movies or TV shows and find yourself needing something else to binge-watch, look no further than the world of YouTube conspiracy theories.
Chances are you have already stumbled across conspiracy theories that have grappled your attention, and led you to re-consider everything you once thought to be true. In fact, you've probably experienced it more that once in your lifetime.
Today, there are conspiracies spewing throughout our society, which can often be blamed on the abundance of technology available to us. Our technology devices are usually the stars of the show when it comes to mind-bending conclusions, such as the viral-theory "Twitter Voicemail", which featured an eery voicemail on cell phones regarding the missing Malaysia Flight MH370 (if you haven't heard the voicemail, you can listen here).
The internet spreads these theories like wildfire. Where else would you want to catch up on the most controversial, mind-bending, and entertaining theories? Look no further than YouTube.
YouTube stars and hardcore conspiracy theory analysts have turned to this platform for sharing their thoughts and collecting evidence from both sides of the theories. These videos range from documentary-style to simply conversational. Some YouTubers even take a definitive side, depending on the subject matter. However, the most popular vloggers leave the interpretation up to their audience. It is important to note that these YouTubers aren't necessarily "conspiracy theorists," but rather those who shed light on these theories and analyze them on a deeper level.
By typing "conspiracy theories" into the YouTube search bar, you will find hundreds of thousands of videos. There are a handful of viral sensations that appear at the top of the search inquiries, and it is easy to say that their videos are gaining attraction within our generation.
Shane Dawson is arguably the most well-known conspiracy theory creators on YouTube today. He has a collection of videos ranging from 15 to 50 minutes focusing on popular theories and lesser-known ones (not to mention, each video has at least a million views). The 20+ videos cover conspiracies in the realms of science, the entertainment industry, human behavior, and more. He covers the ever-controversial "Flat Earth Theory" in this video, raking in 16 million views.
Shane reacts uneasily when his brother breaks down the Flat Earth Theory and lists the support they have to believe it.YouTube-shane
While Shane's videos are extremely popular, not everyone knows that he has a brother who is not only also into conspiracy theories, but has his own channel dedicated them. Jerid Dawson and "The Hyphenate" create as they call "mind-expanding videos that include conspiracy theories, motivational speeches, and other deep thinking videos," on their YouTube channel called "Doubt Me." Shane will often even consult Jerid in his own conspiracy theory videos, just as he did for the Flat Earth Theory.
@TheHyphenate and @LetsMindTravel's YouTube page, "Doubt Me"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh4Gs-P0Nwc9pmFHJ...
Some other popular YouTubers include "All-time Conspiracies" and Kurzgesagt (who is known for their science-oriented debunking).
It is definitely a rapidly-growing trend. As it has gained more attention from internet analysts, it has landed YouTube in some hot water.
Nearly a month ago, YouTube released a plan to fight against the conspiracy theory narratives by adding a feature called "authoritative context" to search results on the webpage. They will be promoting and funding designated pages to provide more reliable news that is, "less susceptible to manipulation." The plan comes after YouTube had repeatedly promoted conspiracy theory videos while breaking news events—such as the shooting in Parkland, Florida—were ongoing.
If you are into conspiracy theories and expanding the mind, check out some of these videos (but beware of the clickbait, or "fake news" junk. It's definitely out there).
