Sad QAnon Followers Are at a Precarious Pivot Point

The QAnon conspiracy theory, spread in large part through social media, was recently supported by a majority of Republican voters. Research into similar groups tells us that, if QAnon followers are to leave the world of conspiracy theories, they need a dignity-preserving path forward. If Q, the anonymous alleged government insider whose information drops launched and fueled the conspiracy theory, posted a photo of a watch with a short comment, his followers would enhance the watch image to see the time and date, interpret what it could mean, connect any bits of text to previous Q posts, and then offer interpretations on the connections. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the US representative from Georgia who was an active online supporter of QAnon and other conspiracy theories, has been removed from her Congressional committee appointments. Some QAnon followers remain steadfast, shifting the goalposts, looking for clues in old Q posts that connect to current events.