Conspiracy Generator

Build a conspiracy theory from scratch.

The best way to learn to spot a conspiracy theory is to make one yourself.

Pick a real news story. On the next step you'll choose who's behind it and why. Then walk through the four moves real conspiracists use, with a debunk on every step.

▸ Start the exercisetakes 3 minutes!!
Built by Marco Meyer & Maarten Boudry  · Etienne Vermeersch Chair of Critical Thinking, Ghent University
Tonight's exclusive
YOU can be a conspiracist*
*for educational purposes only
The four moves you'll learn:
  1. Hunt anomalies turn coincidence into evidence of a secret plot.
  2. Fabricate connections draw lines between unrelated dots until they look meaningful.
  3. Dismiss counter-evidence if a fact disagrees, make the fact part of the cover-up.
  4. Discredit the critics dismiss people who point out flaws in your theory.
Step 1 of 3Step 1 — Pick a real news story↻ Refresh

Pick the event.

Choose whichever real-feeling headline your imagination will run wildest with. Don't overthink it.

Jagger: Rock legend turned "Instagram Normie
rollingstone.com

Jagger: Rock legend turned "Instagram Normie

Mick Jagger, the longtime frontman of the Rolling Stones, has been sharing unexpectedly ordinary moments from his tour life on Instagram. Instead of the usual glamorous or staged celebrity photos, his feed shows mundane outings—visits to local attractions, bars, strip malls and well‑known landmarks. He told The Washington Post that these images are less about spectacle and more about getting a feel for places, and he treats the account like a simple visual diary.

Choose this story →
Mastering Humor: Timing, Delivery, Connection
telegraph.co.uk

Mastering Humor: Timing, Delivery, Connection

Comedy writers and performers say telling a good joke is harder than it looks: timing and delivery can make or break a punchline. Jokes work by surprising the listener with an unexpected twist, clever wordplay, or absurd imagery that creates a vivid mental picture. Short, sharp jokes often land best because they set up an idea quickly and then flip it — for example, an Edinburgh Fringe-winning pun: "I started dating a zookeeper, but it turned out he was a cheetah."

Choose this story →
Influential marketing leaders shaping creators
rollingstone.com

Influential marketing leaders shaping creators

Rolling Stone and Captiv8 published a feature identifying twenty marketing leaders they say are shaping the fast-growing creator economy. The article explains how marketers connect creators, brands, and audiences by promoting branded content and designing experiences that reach large online followings. As entertainment shifts from traditional media to creator-driven platforms, marketers are increasingly responsible for deciding which creators gain visibility and how brand partnerships enter cultural conversations.

Choose this story →
India launching Sun-bound spacecraft.
independent.co.uk

India launching Sun-bound spacecraft.

India’s space agency ISRO plans to launch Aditya-L1, a satellite designed to observe the Sun, on 2 September. The spacecraft will travel to the Sun–Earth Lagrange Point 1, about 1.5 million kilometres from Earth, where it can keep the Sun continuously in view. The mission follows India’s successful Chandrayaan-3 Moon landing and represents a major step in the country’s expanding space programme, aimed at improving understanding of solar activity.

Choose this story →
Conspiracy Generator — the recipe, written out