Disinformation and disinformation always appear after historical events such as the Trump shooting.

The failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump has sparked widespread disinformation.

Since Saturday’s shooting death of 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, social media has been abuzz with conflicting conspiracy theories.

Right-wing social media users have baselessly claimed that President Joe Biden and behind this was the deep state, or as The Kremlin said they created an atmosphere that provoked the attack. Others on the left said it was staged by Trump supporters conducting a “false flag operation,” perhaps using counterfeit blood to drum up sympathy and votes. Another theory was that media is guilty of a near-fatal overdose of Trump’s negative narratives that sparked violence. Perhaps it was Chinese, or Antifa, other conspiracy theorists claimed.

Among those involved in conspiracy theories were several right-wing politicians.

” READ MORE: FBI Investigates Motive and Background of Thomas Matthew Crooks, Western Pennsylvania Shooter Behind Trump Assassination Attempt

Shortly after the shooting on Saturday, U.S. Rep. Mike Collins (R., Ga.) posted a tweet on X falsely claiming that “Joe Biden I have sent orders,” referring to the shooting. Late Sunday afternoon — garnering more than 7 million views — the post had been slightly amended to read “The Republican district attorney in Butler County, Pennsylvania, should immediately file an accusation against Joseph R. Biden for inciting a coup.”

As for Democrats, no left-wing politician has blamed Trump’s supporters for staging the shooting. But the idea has been popular on social media.

Democratic strategist Dmitry Mehlhorn, an adviser to Democratic political donor Reid Hoffman he allegedly wrote“If any Trump official encouraged or had knowledge of this attack, it is morally appalling, and Republicans with a sense of decency must demand that Trump resign as unworthy,” the Semafor news website reported. On Sunday, Mehlhorn apologized, saying he regretted the emails, Semafor reported.

” READ MORE: Why Thomas Matthew Crooks tried to kill Donald Trump remains a mystery to investigators and his former classmates

Meanwhile, the actress and activist Andrew Seales posted on X, stating without evidence that the shooting “was more staged than Tyler Perry’s production of Medea Runs for President.”

On Sunday afternoon, Biden warned against jumping to conclusions about the gunman’s motives until the FBI completes its investigation.

“I urge everyone, everyone, please do not assume his motives or his affiliations,” Biden said. “Let the FBI do its job, and their partner agencies do their job. I have directed that this investigation be thorough and prompt, and investigators will have all the resources they need to do it.”

A major news event such as an assassination attempt on a presidential candidate is expected to generate a massive amount of disinformation (the spreading of incorrect facts) as well as disinformation (the deliberate publication of false or fabricated information and videos).

” READ MORE: What we know about the fatal shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Since there are still so many questions about what happened and why, we will likely see two things, Matthew Stammdirector of the Multimedia Information and Security Lab at Drexel University: “People innocently speculating about things online that will then be misinterpreted as fact. And bad actors, foreign and domestic, trying to influence American public opinion.”

Asked what misinformation about the Trump shooting we can expect in the coming hours and days, Drexel’s Stamm said: “More. I don’t know exactly, but yes, a lot more.”

It’s nothing new that people on social media espouse a myriad of conspiracy theories. They tend to erupt when people are scared and confused, according to University of Pittsburgh historian Lara Putnam, member of the faculty with the school’s Institute of Cyber ​​Law and Security Policy.

Psychologically speaking, such theories can be both “scary and comforting,” she added.

” READ MORE: Corey Comperatore identified as man killed in shooting at Trump rally

Many conspiracy theories feature known villains, Putnam said. The idea of ​​a known figure carrying out a horrific event — such as an attempted assassination — is far less disturbing than the idea of ​​an evil, unknown person pulling the trigger. That’s why, Putnam said, we’re seeing a proliferation of conspiracy theories that baselessly claim Biden was behind Trump’s shooting.

“For Trump supporters, saying Biden did it gives people ‘comforting fears,’” Putnam said. The shooting is certainly scary, but it’s less scary if you think Biden ordered it because you already know him and he’s an opponent of Trump.

U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R., SC), Trump’s potential vice presidential candidate, has released a statement regarding X speaking without evidence: “Let’s be clear: This was an attack aided and abetted by the radical left and the corporate media, which has relentlessly called Trump a threat to democracy, a fascist, and worse.

Also on the X show is Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia blamed the media too, baselessly saying that they “demonized us” and “got what they wanted: an assassination attempt on President Trump and the murder of one of his supporters.”

On the other hand, Putnam said, people who distrust Trump are more likely to believe bad things about him, such as the “false flag” conspiracy theory. “So,” Putnam said, “the shooting is horrific, but it’s comforting that Trump is really behind it, because they don’t trust him anymore.”

” READ MORE: Pennsylvania Republican Party delegates prepare to welcome Trump to Milwaukee

Even people who strive to understand and deny disinformation sometimes stop for a moment and marvel at how quickly misguided ideas and false information can spread around the world in a matter of nanoseconds.

‘A lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth gets its pants on?’ asks Penn State University disinformation expert Matt Jordanquoting Winston Churchill“Lies come from everywhere.”

Conspiracy theories about presidential shootings are common, but they spread faster now than they did 60 years ago.

During the JFK assassination, there were private conversations going on among average citizens, David Kahl Jr.a communications professor and disinformation expert at Penn State Behrend in Erie said Sunday.

Today, we’re able to spread information — and disinformation — in a completely different way. “Anyone with a keyboard and a screen can reach thousands, millions,” Kahl said. “We see that just today, it’s really easy to spread disinformation.”