Abstract

Overview of the Study

In a context of mistrust toward public health institutions and practices, significant events such as anti-COVID/vaccination protests and the storming of Congress have underscored the tangible threats posed by conspiracy theories to health and wellbeing, democracy, and the public's understanding of science.

Findings

The paper discusses the widespread promotion during 2020 of an alleged correlation between COVID-19 and the rollout of 5G technology. This correlation, often depicted through maps showing the overlap of COVID-19 cases and the installation of 5G towers, forms a core component of the narratives pushed by conspiracist groups. The authors critically evaluate how spatial data has been misused to assert these correlations and outline the complexities of interpreting spatial and ecological data that conspiracy theorists often overlook.

• Examination of social properties and their complex causal forces.
• Discussion on the pitfalls of correlating spatial and ecological data.
• Challenges in specifying and interpreting causal effects with spatial data.

Conclusion

This study provides a methodological critique of the way spatial health data may be misused by conspiracists. It adds to the broader discourse on the basis of conspiracy theories and warns against potential future misuses of data in an era characterized by widespread data access.