[chriselles]

On the one hand believing such things can be viewed as funny.

On the other hand it is a quiet serious issue.

While deployed to the Solomon Islands 15 years ago in a very remote location, the indigenous folks thought our helicopters were stealing all their gold and diamonds with giant vacuum cleaners in our helicopters.

Comically ridiculous, but they were serious as a heart attack.

And there were a few very aggressively and violently leveraged those mistaken beliefs.

So we had to respond with great care for their concerns rather than just disparaging them.

Doesn’t the same apply here?

Confirmation bias of internet searches and conformity bias of online fringe communities can lead to quite persistent and amplified opposition.