What is QAnon? How did it get so popular?

QAnon is a right-wing conspiracy theory that’s gaining mainstream popularity in the US.

The central idea is that Donald Trump has been trying to uncover a Satanic pedophile ring – which includes prominent political figures and Hollywood actors – that’s been kept secret by intelligence agencies, or “the deep state”.

The theory took root in 2017 when someone began posting cryptic messages under the name Q (originally “Q Clearance Patriot”) on the controversial message board 4chan.

These messages are now known as Q Drops and are widely believed to have originated from a high-ranking government official. In the US Dept. of Energy, Q Clearance is required to access classified information about nuclear weapons.

Q’s posts have given rise to a wider belief system (QAnon) that predicts a “Great Awakening”: the moment when dark forces (e.g. celebrities, media, banks) are exposed and overcome.

QAnon adheres to the classic conspiracy theory model: it takes something complex (like inequality) and makes it simple (here’s who’s secretly responsible). This provides a sense of purpose and control in a world where those things are increasingly hard to come by.

But the power of QAnon is that it also appeals to an apocalyptic mindset in modern America – one that overlaps with evangelical Christian beliefs about a doomsday-like moment of reckoning. (QAnon has inspired the formation of at least one church.)

Q’s followers analyze every message for clues, patterns, and Biblical references. Many believe that Q is Trump himself. Some believe that since Q is the 17th letter of the alphabet and John F. Kennedy was the 17th US President, JFK faked his own death and is in fact Q.

QAnon is now so widespread that its signage is regularly seen at Trump rallies. Trump has encouraged this by regularly referencing the “deep state” and retweeting QAnon material. Q has also framed the coronavirus as a staged attempt to sabotage Trump.

Although Q’s claims are notable for having little basis in reality, there has been growing concern – including within the FBI – that its influence could lead to a wave of violent extremism.