The Trump 'zapper' conspiracy theory that's taking over social media - Facebook

Theory Briefing

• A conspiracy theory dubbed the Trump 'zapper' theory has gone viral, spreading rapidly across social media platforms.
• The theory's explosive reach raises questions about why unverified claims about high-profile political figures catch fire online.
• Social media's algorithmic design tends to amplify emotionally charged content, giving fringe theories the same visibility as verified news.
• The 'zapper' label itself — vivid and strange — may be part of what makes the claim so shareable and sticky.