A quarter of people in the UK believe Covid was or was probably a hoax (as well as believing other conspiracy theories)

[cakeorwine]

Quarter in UK believe Covid was a hoax, poll on conspiracy theories finds | Social trends | The Guardian

"The UK is home to millions more conspiracy theorists than most people realise, with almost a quarter of the population believing Covid-19 was probably or definitely a hoax, polling has revealed.
About a third of the population are convinced that the cost of living crisis is a government plot to control the public, and similar numbers think “15-minute cities” – an attempt to increase walking in neighbourhoods – are a government surveillance ruse, and that the “great replacement theory” – the idea that white people are being replaced by non-white immigrants – is happening."

I guess that there are people out there who believe in conspiracy theories - but I am very surprised by the numbers.

I wonder what the cross over is between theories - in other words, if you believe 1 conspiracy theory, you are more likely to believe another?

So what level of population sample do you consider statistically significant?

I'm not a conspiracy theorist at all- covid most certainly existed- there is no logical reason why so many fit and well people in all countries would be ill at the same time and hospitals full of them.

I do however lean towards the view it was man made. A kind of germ warfare- and it got out in error. Many countries engage in this kind of experimentation- I think the UK do too if I remember correctly as part of defence strategy.

Wobbly understanding of statistics alert! 😅

I didnt think it was at first. But our Government (and Chinas) for that matter are so corrupt I wouldn't be surprised.

Tbf, true if it's the median.

Add to this that people who complete voluntary surveys are probably self selecting for a demographic more likely to be exposed to and believe in non mainstream ideas.

There's no-one left to trust.

I think the title of "a quarter of people in the UK believe covid was a hoax" is bad reporting but that is the Guardian for you - firstly because 25% did not state they definitely believed it was a hoax, only 9% thought it was definitely a hoax, then 14% thought it to be 'probably sure'. So reporting 'a quarter believe it is a hoax' is just plain wrong.

...and that is why lots of people no longer trust any of the media

That whole piece was really designed by the BBC to attack 'alternative media', let's face it.

Wuhan has a laboratory/ies that is/are used for research into exactly the COVID19 virus type, which are also used for outsourced research by countries such as the US. The escape theory is no longer fringe. Nor is the controversy surrounding the efficacy of the vaccine and its serious side effects.

A bit back of an envelope calculation but that sample size of the UK adult population would equate to a plus or minus 4% error margin.

@hamstersarse Even the most brief reading of the article says that a quarter of people said they definitely or probably.

I'm reading the actual report not the Guardian article

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/policy-institute/assets/conspiracy-belief-among-the-uk-public.pdf

9% said they definitely believed it was a hoax
14% said they probably thought it was a hoax

That adds up to 23% - AND - 14% are saying 'maybe' not definitely

It's bad reporting from the Guardian

@Palmfrond I have some long covid issues that came on straight after my4th vaccine. All neurological stuff - I'm not anti vax but I'm definitely not having any more

@hamstersarse That is bad reporting. They should have said 23% not a quarter.

Well, it was Guardian readers and they certainly walk among us on here

What was Guardian readers?

Well, numbers aside, I think it is pretty plain that governments has burnt through a significant amount of trust capital through covid.

Expecting people to believe that it originated spontaneously in pissing distance to a research facility tinkering with the sars virus, is a stretch too far for most.

’an April survey by Savanta for King’s College London (KCL) and the BBC.’

IQ of 100 is an average. Therefore a substantial number of people exists, and votes, having an IQ below the average and without a thorough grasp of issues at hand. Such is life. In the circumstances, 23 % is not a surprise.

At last! All the lies are coming out...trust in anything the Government/WHO ever says again in tatters. Vaccination programmes uptake super low....a mess.

Probably best not to use quote marks if you are not quoting.

‘Thanks’

Stats show that 15% of people believe in the conspiracy theories that men are women and groups of middle aged women are trying to mass murder transvestites and Autistic children. Even the President of the United States believes it.

I gather most in the UK are remain voters and work in public services.

Well absolutely. Investing in the correct mis-truths is an investment in social and political capital.

The findings, on the eve of the first evidence session of the UK’s public inquiry into the pandemic, which killed more than 227,000 people in the UK, come from an April survey by Savanta for King’s College London (KCL) and the BBC.

’An April survey by Savanta for King’s College London (KCL) and the BBC’

Ok?