Why Does the Pizzagate Conspiracy Theory Endure?

Pizzagate is an elaborate conspiracy theory that accuses a number of “elites” and certain Democratic Party officials of operating a human trafficking scheme out of several restaurants, including a pizzeria in DC called Comet Ping Pong. The theory also implicates some neighboring businesses and DC-area bands. Here’s a brief overview of how all of this evolved, from a WikiLeaks release of some emails to the fake news articles that continue today. Why does this conspiracy theory endure?

It all began in 2016 with the public release of some emails from John Podesta, the campaign chairman for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential run. According to the conspiracy theory, Podesta and others were using coded language to talk about a child prostitution ring operated out of certain restaurants, as well as occult ritual abuse performed by this cabal.

Later in 2016, one adherent of the conspiracy theory took it upon himself to shoot up Comet Ping Pong with an AR-15, injuring nobody. He later admitted that he committed the act of violence in a confused effort to self-investigate the claims.

After such a horrible and shameful event as the shooting was, one might think the Pizzagate theory would fade into history, but it has endured. One reason is due to the countercountural nature of online forums such as 4chan and Reddit, where shock value carries more weight than taste, common sense and reasoned discourse. Sites like 4chan and Godlike Productions, especially, celebrate the raunchiest and most outrageously dark aspects of society.

Similarly, social media in general favors offbeat trends. When sharing the news with friends is treated as just another factor in a mutual popularity contest, sober-minded journalism is a losing play. The strange and bizarre take hold of online discourse and perpetuate in a feedback loop until the subject becomes worn out. Some trending stories last longer than others, and Pizzagate continues to trend for one additional reason:

Pizzagate is politically charged. The vast majority of Pizzagate “investigators” are right-wing bloggers like Mike Cernovich. In the past, Alex Jones has helped to popularize the Pizzagate theory, but he has since apologized.

Meanwhile, Comet Ping Pong has experienced serious disruptions to its business due to safety concerns. The pizzeria setup a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for security upgrades and legal expenses, which has raised almost $30,000 so far. Unfortunately, plenty of people still suspect the restaurant and its employees of harming children in secret, and little can be done to remedy this problem as long as people have the least bit of suspicion. “Companies can benefit from having a neutral third party conduct pre-employment screenings, where both employers and the public know that only candidates with clean criminal records are hired,” says Layne Davlin of Einstein HR.

The Pizzagate theorists continue to believe in a coordinated conspiracy involving Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Podesta. If political enmity is really the driver behind the Pizzagate conspiracy theory, it will likely continue to capture the imaginations of people for as long as the Trump-Hillary dispute continues.