Extreme websites peddle conspiracies, but what about the mainstream outlets that do it too? | Owen Jones

Addressing the problem will mean taking on some of the most powerful voices in the country

Would you believe that a fifth of the adult population of Britain have either taken part in anti-vax protests, or are prepared to do so? Or that about 4 million people have attended protests against the introduction of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs)? What about the idea that The Light, an anti-vaccine, anti-lockdown newspaper, has about 3 million subscribers, and has at some point been distributed by nearly 4 million people?

You’d be right to be sceptical. It’s unlikely that there are 4 million people with in-depth knowledge about CBDCs. The Light only has 13,000 followers on Facebook. And it seems obvious that millions of people have not taken part in Covid-denial demonstrations, especially as only 6.4% of the population have not received any vaccines. But new polling research released by King’s College London for a BBC series on conspiracy theories suggests otherwise. The findings are based on an online survey of more than 2,000 British adults, conducted by Savanta, a reputable polling company – although a full breakdown of the polling methods hasn’t been published.

Owen Jones is a Guardian columnist

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