truthers

Official story skeptics

Truthers are people who reject official explanations of major events, believing instead in conspiracy theories—particularly that governments or powerful institutions are hiding the real story.

The term gained prominence with 9/11 truthers, who dispute the established account of the 2001 attacks: The truthers insisted it was an inside job.

The label now extends to other conspiracy movements: COVID truthers, election truthers.

Often used dismissively by those outside the movement.

conspiracy

theories

Explanations based on evidence

movement · believers · claims · allegations · paranoia · delusion · pseudoscience · fringe · alternative · narratives

distrust

skeptic

One who doubts claims

suspicion · questioning · government · institutions · mainstream · media · officials · experts · authorities · establishment

misinformation

disinformation

Intentional deceptive falsehoods

  • propagandaBiased information for influence
  • hoaxesIntentional public deceptions
  • liesDeliberate untruths

fabrication · falsehoods · deception · manipulation · debunked · viral · spreading · amplification · grifters · influencers

activism

campaign

Organized effort toward goal

advocacy · petition · rally · demonstration · protest · march · organizing · mobilization · hashtags · documentary

Categories
Opposites
epistemic stance

truthersconformists

Those obeying social norms

true believers · sheep · normies · apologists · loyalists

information evaluation

truthersdebunkers

Those who discredit falsities

skeptics · fact-checkers · rationalists · critical thinkers · empiricists

social-cultural positioning

truthersinsiders

Those with special access

blue-pilled · muggles

Phrases
Family

truther

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Mostly American · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated PG