From the Vox Media Podcast Network, you're listening to RICO Daily.

I'm Peter Kafka.

We're recording this on election day, which means we're seeing a swell of conspiracy theories on social media right now.

But regardless of how the election pans out, we're pretty sure the conspiracy theories are here to stay and they're probably going to gain traction,

and that poses a serious threat to our democracy.

Joining me to discuss this uplifting topic is RICO, senior reporter, Shirring Gafari.

Hi Shirin.

Hey Peter.

The last time you and I talked, we talked about QAnon, kind of pernicious conspiracy theory that's really

taken root during the pandemic.

What are some of the other conspiracy theories that we've seen rise up in the Trump era over the last

four years.

I think the most timely one is around voting that the entire election is rigged,

that mail-in ballots which have been happening since the Civil War and really well,

there's been this idea perpetuated by Trump that actually mail-in-ballot voting is a problem and that there's going to be

widespread fraud. Other ones we've seen I mean COVID-19 hoaxes are rampant I

think something like 30% of Americans now believe in some kind of conspiracy that COVID-19 is not as serious

as scientists say it is or that it was manufactured in a lab.

So they run the gamut from health to the very foundations of our democracy.

Sometimes you'll see this stuff described as conspiracy theory, sometimes you'll see it described as

misinformation. Is there a meaningful difference in the way those in between those two different terms?

Yeah so conspiracy theory is when you're actually ascribing intent when you're saying

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