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QAnon and On

A Short and Shocking History of Internet Conspiracy Cults

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About this listen

In QAnon and On, Guardian columnist Van Badham delves headfirst into the QAnon conspiracy theory, unpicking the why, how and who behind this century’s most dangerous and far-fetched internet cult.

From Gamergate to Pizzagate and beyond to QAnon, internet manipulation and disinformation campaigns have grown to a geopolitical scale and spilled into real life with devastating consequences, entangling everyone from politicians to Hollywood celebrities.

But what would motivate followers to so forcefully avoid the facts and surrender instead to made-up stories designed to influence and control? It’s a question that has haunted Van, herself a veteran of social media’s relentless trolling wars. In this daring investigation, Van exposes some of the internet’s most extreme communities to understand conspiracy cults from the inside.

QAnon and On is the story of the modern internet, the farscape of political belief and a disinformation pipeline built between the two that poses an ongoing threat to democracy itself. Shocking and mesmerising in equal measure, this book will open our eyes to the dangers of partisan belief.

©2021 Van Badham (P)2022 W F Howes Media Studies Social Sciences

Critic reviews

"Van Badham is one of the most lucid, insightful and witty journalists in Australia, and seeing her expose the dark rising madness of conspiracy theories is both a joy and a panic attack all at once." (Johann Hari, New York Times best-selling author)

"Van Badham’s research is rigorous, her argument revealing and her writing absolutely impeccable. A chilling reveal on the world’s newest cult." (Jamila Rizvi, best-selling author and presenter)

"This book will compel you - and indeed all of us - to act to reclaim the internet for the good of humanity." (Ginger Gorman, multi-award winning journalist and author)
All stars
Most relevant
Rarely been more glad to finish a book, but equally glad to have listened right through. Had to become accustomed to Australian accent but narrative drive excellent and kept me coming back to hear the end of the tale. Run-up to US election excellent time to be reading this

Shocking reveal

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Astonishingly well researched, superbly told and respectful of those pulled in by QAnon, this is an excellent and forensic analysis of the how and why people’s beliefs can be manipulated in the online age, and their enormous impact in the real world.

Superb!

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There's a few books on qanon but this one covers a lot of ground you don't usually see in such books, including the connection between the alt-right movement that started qanon and gamergate. It's a tough listen but it needs to be heard.

Further down the rabbit hole...

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I found the first part rather unfocused and confusing but as soon as the author started to narrate the story of QAnon itself it became gripping and satisfying. The author has obviously put years of research into this book and is a passionate opponent of conspiracy theories.

Comprehensive story

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Just a trope of left wing moans about the right. Nothing special. If you want to moan about Trump do that but Qanon is about something else.

Not as good as the QAnon by Guardian/Amazon here

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