Since the 2024 election, a wave of conspiracy theories have taken hold in left-leaning spaces, fueled by real fears about where the country is headed. From concerns about government surveillance to speculation that democracy is already a lost cause, it’s easy to feel like we’re watching a slow-motion collapse with no way to stop it.
And let’s be clear—these fears aren’t baseless. Given everything we’ve seen in the past few weeks (and even years), it makes complete sense to be skeptical, critical, and deeply worried. The problem isn’t the skepticism—it’s the sense of total, all-consuming doom that’s creeping in, convincing people that nothing we do matters.
When Fear Feeds Fatalism
In the weeks since TikTok’s 14-hour ban and Trump’s inauguration the following day, left-leaning spaces in particular seem to have been falling into misinformation traps more than ever before. People who would seemingly never be moved by false information have been pushed by fear into these echo chambers on TikTok where Bethenny Frankel talked about “Dior bags” and people speculated about Meta’s purchase of the app. I can’t say I wasn’t impacted by this at all, and it only goes to show that none of us are immune to propaganda, and you often won’t know it when you see it.
This paranoia isn’t just about TikTok—it reflects a broader shift in digital culture. Recent viral comments highlight a growing distrust in the algorithm itself, with users claiming:
“Our algorithms are not TikTok algorithms…Our TikTok that we love is gone…we’re on new servers. Meta servers. It’s the same algorithm you see on Instagram reels.”
@teamzappa_ on TikTok
A number of comments on the video echoed the sentiment:
“It’s funny because I can’t describe it, but energetically it feels more like Instagram, like the magic of TikTok is gone.”
“I have not seen one diddy video, LA fires, drones, nor aliens!!!!”
“Try blocking fb, insta and meta quest. My fyp returned to normal.”
“I agree. The same algoritham [sic]. I wanted to post about Palestine and it was on checking to aprove. First time I waited for aprove to post. This is Meta.”
These fears speak to something deeper—an underlying belief that we are being manipulated in ways we can’t fully understand. But while skepticism is warranted, it becomes dangerous when it fogs our perception of the truth and our ability to critically dissect what’s really going on.
This is the trap a lot of left-leaning spaces are falling into. While right-wing conspiracy theories often push people toward aggressive action—whether it’s storming the Capitol or passing more voter suppression laws—leftist ones tend to create paralysis. The more we believe that the system is too rigged to fight, the less we try to change it. And ultimately, even if the system is too rigged to fight—at least in the ways that have been popularized—that does not negate the existence of the individuals struggling on the ground. That is where tangible change can be made.
Breaking Through the Algorithm
The internet makes this cycle even worse. Social media thrives on outrage and fear, feeding us the worst possible interpretations of every event- and ultimately, there’s a difference between activism and raising awareness, and fear mongering for views. Instead of empowering us to take action, we get stuck in a loop of:
- Doomscrolling worst-case scenarios until it feels like nothing good is even possible
- Getting trapped in online echo chambers where everyone reinforces the same hopelessness
- Writing off any attempts at progress as fake, rigged, or not good enough
From Digital Dread to Real-World Action
The answer isn’t blind optimism or pretending everything’s fine—it’s remembering that real change has never come from people who gave up or people who followed the script. Instead of letting fear keep us frozen, we can:
- Focus on local organizing – Small-scale change is still change, and it’s often where real impact happens. Helping even one person may seem like it isn’t enough, but these tiny changes add up to change the conversation.
- Build community outside the algorithm – Having real conversations with real people makes a huge difference.
- Stay critical, but not paralyzed – Question everything, but don’t let skepticism turn into fatalism. Critical thinking outside of social media is crucial now more than ever.
At the end of the day, fear is valid. Skepticism is necessary. But hopelessness? That’s a tool of oppression. The more we believe we’re powerless, the more we actually are. And the people in power are counting on that. As students, we come from a long line of people who have struggled and resisted against injustices, and it was their actions that have afforded us so much of what we take for granted today. They didn’t have social media- not to learn about what was going on, not to advertise events, not to communicate. We owe it to our predecessors to use these powerful tools to our benefit.
The best way to look out for one another is to listen, to be physically present, and to do our very best to stay in touch with what is actually going on around us, outside of the social media sphere. Sometimes all you need to do is close TikTok and do some more research to have a clearer understanding of the situation- or even just to talk to someone about it. Our voices, bodies, dollars, and joy all have power.
The moral of the story is, being in community is more crucial now than ever, especially as our communities become digital. Physical presence and engagement is critical to forming a clear plan for action, both in person and online. Going to a teach-in on Grounds, listening to podcasts from academics, having class discussions, or even talking it out with your friends can all be ways of spending your time that are conducive to your own motivation, if not active resistance. Informing yourself from the right sources is an act of resistance in itself. We can’t take care of or help each other if we don’t even know who we’re talking to or what their story is.