Surveying the “irrational”: An analysis of the debate on the outcomes of the Censis 2021 questionnaire

The discourse on conspiracy theories has sparked heated debates among scholars. While early studies pointed to the significant role of digital platforms in spreading misinformation and conspiracy narratives, recent skepticism has challenged the extent of their influence. This critical assessment suggests a potential overestimation of the prevalence of conspiracy theories, possibly fueled by a moral panic concerning them. This social trend has led to the emergence of simplistic anti-conspiracy discourses that echo the characteristics of the conspiracy theories that they seek to counter. This chapter explores the presence of this naïve anti-conspiracy discourse in Italy by means of a case study focused on the public reactions to two Italian questionnaires, one conducted during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the other soon after it. This research scrutinized the Facebook discussions surrounding these questionnaires by employing CrowdTangle for data analysis, which revealed the polarized nature of the conversations and the interplay between conspiracy theories and anti-conspiracy sentiments. The findings suggested a close interconnection among the rise of social media, the dissemination of conspiracy narratives, and the formation of an exclusionary cultural divide.