Climate change denial and anti-science communities on brazilian Telegram: climate disinformation as a gateway to broader conspiracy networks

TL;DR

This study analyzes how Brazilian conspiracy communities on Telegram promote climate change denial and anti-science narratives, revealing their interconnectedness, thematic gateways, and evolution during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to understanding disinformation networks.

Contribution

It provides a detailed characterization of Brazilian climate and anti-science conspiracy communities on Telegram using a replicable, open-source methodology across seven studies.

Findings

Climate denial and anti-science groups form reinforcing networks.

Apocalyptic themes serve as gateways to climate denial.

COVID-19 pandemic intensified anti-science discussions.

Abstract

Conspiracy theories related to climate change denial and anti-science have found fertile ground on Telegram, particularly among Brazilian communities that distrust scientific institutions and oppose global environmental policies. This study seeks to answer the research question: how are Brazilian conspiracy theory communities on climate change and anti-science themes characterized and articulated on Telegram? It is worth noting that this study is part of a series of seven studies aimed at understanding and characterizing Brazilian conspiracy theory communities on Telegram. This series of studies is openly and originally available on arXiv from Cornell University, applying a mirrored method across all seven studies, changing only the thematic focus of analysis, and providing replicable investigation methods, including custom-developed and proprietary codes, contributing to the culture of open-source software. Regarding the main findings of this study, the following observations were made: Climate change denial and anti-science communities interact synergistically, creating a complex network that mutually reinforces disinformation narratives; Apocalyptic themes, such as Apocalypse and Survivalism, act as gateways to climate denial, with 5,057 links directed to these communities; Anti-science communities function as gatekeepers, distributing links evenly to theories such as the New World Order and Globalism, among others; During the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-science discussions experienced a significant peak, driven by vaccine disinformation; The intersection between anti-science narratives and esoteric beliefs reinforces the idea of a supposed alternative truth that challenges science; Since 2022, discussions on climate change have evolved to align with global domination theories; Additionally, the UN's 2030 Agenda is portrayed as part of a global conspiracy.