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The anti-vaxxer movement, QAnon, lizard people, and so on…

Future generations will no doubt look back at this moment in time rather unkindly, and much of their judgement will have to do with the fact that despite having a world of information at our fingertips, many among us still chose to believe utter nonsense.

Gone are the days of your weird uncle talking about how the moon landing was faked and Bigfoot is real, while no one paid attention. Conspiracy theories, misinformation, and fake news are not only everywhere, but more dangerous than ever.

The unfounded belief that the US election was rigged, for example, sent people into a frenzied storming of the Capitol.

While the natural response to listening to someone spout this nonsense from beneath their tinfoil hat is to dismiss them, a better plan of action is to try and understand where they got their info from in the first place.

Factual information is still our best line of defence against misinformation.

Mashable did the work of vetting a couple of podcasts to add to your arsenal as you embark on this task.

We picked five that really stood out.

Life Kit: ‘How To Spot Misinformation’

The first step to sifting through the piles of garbage thrown at you online or by others is to equip yourself with the means to spot misinformation when you see it.

While you might think that you’re too smart to get caught out, we’ve all seen intelligent people fall into a couple of traps over the years.

This episode of Life Kit reminds you to think critically about everything by providing you with a few tips and tricks for staying on top of the facts.

The Anthill: ‘Expert Guide To Conspiracy Theories’

Know thy enemy.

Experts and researchers from across various areas of academic study come together in The Anthill’s six-part series.

It covers everything from how to identify a legitimate conspiracy versus a baseless conspiracy theory, who believes them and why, their history, how they spread, and what risk they pose especially during a pandemic.

What Next: Making A Vaccine Go Viral’

Vaccines are our greatest hope for defeating COVID-19, but there are countless people out there who would refuse to take one because they’re caught up in some wacky conspiracy theory.

Some of the worst include:

• Bill Gates is using the vaccine to implant microchips in our brains
• The vaccine is a conspiracy to sterilise men
• The vaccine will alter your DNA

And my all-time favourite: The vaccine will give you COVID-19.

Let that one percolate for a while.

What Next‘s podcast talks about the threat that social media poses to the vaccine rollout, but also looks into how we can harness the internet to do the opposite.

QAnon Anonymous

When some were struggling to wrap their heads around just how people believed the theories coming out of QAnon, I reminded them that the Church of Scientology is still going strong.

If you want to keep up with the developments of QAnon, without delving into the darkest parts of the internet or messing up your YouTube algorithm, hosts Julian Feeld, Travis View, and Jake Rockatansky tackle the subject with a mix of humour and empathy.

You’re Wrong About (Multiple Episodes)

In a world that doesn’t make sense, You’re Wrong About steps in to debunk myths from modern history. It covers a range of topics, so a quick search is all you need to find that counter-argument you’ve been searching for.

These are just a few on a long list of podcasts you should check out.

Find the rest here.

I’ll leave you with a bonus one that wasn’t on the list, but is definitely worth a listen:

This American Life:’The Empty Chair’

This American Life produces podcasts in three acts, centred on a single theme. In this one, they talk about what has been lost during the pandemic.

Act one features an interview with a black officer who was in the Capitol building when it was attacked, and his experience of trying to defend it while listening to racists and insurrectionists yelling conspiracy theories at him.

Act three looks into pre-war Germany, and the lies that were spread via the media, that would eventually create the perfect storm in which fascism could rise. The similarities with our own time are terrifying.

Keep fighting the good fight.

Truth shall prevail.

[source:mashable]