624 11 FEBRUARY 2022 • VOL 375 ISSUE 6581 science.org SCIENCEBy Jennifer GolbeckK
elly Weill’s new book, Off the Edge,
is a deep dive into the world of flat
Earth conspiracy theorists—those
who believe Earth is a plane or disc-
shaped rather than spherical—that
brilliantly reveals how people fall
into illogical beliefs, reject reason, destroy
relationships, and connect with a broad
range of conspiracy theories in the social
media age. Beautiful, probing, and often
empathetic, the book connects the flat Earth
movement with other conspiracy theories
currently affecting our lives and politics.
Flat Earth theories vary, but the most
popular one states that the planet is a disc
with a high ice wall around its perimeter;
the sun is very small and hovers only about
3000 miles above Earth, illuminating por-
tions of it like a spotlight; there is no such
thing as outer space; and gravity may not
exist. Adherents believe NASA guards the
ice wall and, along with other governments,
puts out misinformation to make people be-
lieve that Earth is a sphere and space travel
is possible. Weill has spent years immersed in the
online communities of flat Earthers, at-
tending their conventions and interview-
ing hundreds of believers. Although their
theories and backgrounds differ, Weill has
identified a few common traits. First, their
initial contact with flat Earth theories of-
ten comes at a time when the rest of their
lives are not going well. Second, they come
to believe in a flat Earth by “doing their
own research,” which often entails watch-
ing YouTube videos and reading internet
forums. One subject profiled in the book,
notes Weill, “watched hours of Flat Earth
videos over the course of several days and
converted before the week was up.”
In fact, social media often introduces
flat Earth ideas to would-be believers.
YouTube’s recommendation engine, for
example, is optimized to send people to
“engaging” content—that is, media that
will keep them on the platform longer.
As researchers have long known, more-
extreme content—content that makes
those consuming it angry, espouses con-
spiracy theories or extremist views, or con-
tains shocking information or images—is
more engaging. Thus, people who begin
by watching relatively benign videos can
be incrementally directed toward increas-
ingly fringe topics.Once you believe in one conspiracy theory,
it is much easier to start believing in others.
The language, tactics, and community that
characterize conspiracy groups are similar,
as are the social media algorithms that shape
what searchers see online. “The flat earth and
pro-Trump movements share strands of the
same conspiratorial, counter-factual DNA,”
notes Weill.
When someone buys into a conspiracy the-
ory, it is hard to change their minds. Informa-
tion that debunks the theory is often deemed
untrustworthy, either because of the source
or because believers are primed with super-
ficially compelling counterarguments. Con-
spiracy theories also separate believers from
friends and family, convincing adherents
that those who reject the theory cannot be
trusted. “Cults and conspiratorial movements
are cousins,” observes Weill. “You’re either
helping the movement or actively hurting it.”
Toward the end of the book, Weill high-
lights how easily conspiracy theories can per-
vade people’s worldviews, writing “I would
like my old neighbors to stop invoking a fic-
tional cannibalism ring when the diner down
the road takes basic health precautions dur-
ing a pandemic.” As a social media researcher
who has spent the past several years study-
ing what goes on in the murky corners of the
internet, my heart ached with recognition. A
pancake-shaped planet may seem innocuous,
but the serious ramifications of conspiracy
beliefs are always just below the surface.
Weill is impressively empathetic and re-
spectful of the people she interviews, even
as she expresses frustration at the damage
conspiracy theories are doing in the world to-
day. She outlines how difficult it is to debunk
such theories, given that followers usually do
not come to conversations willing to engage,
but she is not without hope, highlighting the
profound impact social media policies can
have in limiting their spread. A 2019 change
to YouTube’s recommendation algorithm,
for example, made flat Earth content much
harder to find.
Conspiracy theories and their ramifica-
tions have infiltrated our daily lives. Off the
Edge provides an insightful, human look at
what fuels these beliefs and the critical role
that social media has played in enticing peo-
ple into these worlds. jFlat Earth theories shared online may seem innocuous, but they can prime users to believe in other conspiracies. 10.1126/science.abn6017The reviewer is at the Social Intelligence Lab,
University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
Email: [email protected]SOCIAL MEDIAExacerbated by engagement algorithms, flat Earth theories
and other fringe beliefs thrive
Social media and shared reality
Off the Edge: Flat Earthers,
Conspiracy Culture,
and Why People
Will Believe Anything
Kelly Weill
Algonquin Books,- 256 pp.
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