Conspiracists distrust mass media because those institutions brand their claims stigmatized

Evidence

The Internet is attractive because of its large potential audience, the low investment required for its use, and—most important—the absence of gatekeepers who might censor the content of messages. … For the most part, however, stigmatized knowledge subcultures are at a distinct disadvantage as far as mass media are concerned, for the latter are precisely the mainstream institutions best positioned to confer stigma on certain knowledge claims, including those that are overtly conspiracist. This contempt is reciprocated by conspiracists themselves. Not only do conspiracists distrust the mass media as distorters and concealers of the truth; they also regard them as part of the conspiracy, a tool controlled by the plotters in order to mislead the public. — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 117

Categorization

• XREF: The gatekeeper-free Internet as a channel for fringe views connects to base-nation and archive material on how institutions confer or deny legitimacy. — connects to: White conspiracists amplify black-targeting narratives to recruit black audiences to their cause — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 176; Foreign actors weaponize genuine minority distrust by impersonating activist groups — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 201; Conspiracy believers valorize distrust of mass media as proof of undeceived insight — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic…, 98 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Stigma level, not truth, determines which conspiracy beliefs reach mass audiences. #corroborates (0.85) — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 417
• Conspiracism targets knowledge-producing institutions rather than individual facts #expands (0.80) — Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum, A Lot of People Are Saying, 242
• Stigmatized-knowledge belief channels believers toward conspiracy theories #corroborates (0.80) — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 186
• Stigmatized knowledge is truth-claims marginalized by official knowledge institutions #expands (0.75) — Michael Barkun, A Culture of Conspiracy, 177