I'm not a conspiracist, but…' Conspiracies, disinformation, fake news, and loneliness in Bucharest

The paper reports the results of a long‑term ethnographic research on fake news, disinformation, and conspiracies in Bucharest, Romania. Most participants in the research tend to engage with alternative explanations to make sense of the contradictions and inconsistencies in their lives. Such explanations are commonly labeled and dismissed as conspiracy theories. In contrast, research participants believe that the world is controlled by globalist powers who plot to control and limit population and their general welfare. They believe that mainstream politics and media are the main perpetrators of such tendencies. In this context, research participants objectify alternative explanations into online social relations that are based on a common effort to navigate a complex environment dominated by fake news and disinformation. They aim to uncover the ‘truth’ that they seen as hidden or restricted in terms of access and governance. But this process comes at the expense of close personal relationships and leads to various forms of marginalization. The quest for ‘real truth’ represents a continuing critique of the state of the world, which participants hope will fill an important social breach, including an existential sense of loneliness and exclusion.