Following the news of Catherine, Princess of Wales, being diagnosed with cancer, there was an immediate negative response due to the excessive and sensational speculation on social media regarding her health.
Some individuals even went as far as suggesting that she was secretly deceased. However, the gloomy news hasn’t put a damper on the continuous flow of conspiracy theories.
Kate Middleton, 42, garnered widespread support and empathy from around the world following her video message on Friday. In the message, she shared that she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy, aiming to address baseless rumors that had been circulating during her extended period of absence from public view.
The alteration of a royal photograph that was made public by the palace, along with the culture of secrecy surrounding the British monarchy, has greatly contributed to the speculation online.
However, the abundance of baseless theories circulating on social media, accompanied by skull emojis and false claims about the princess’s demise or medical condition, highlights the prevailing state of information disorder in today’s era of artificial intelligence and misinformation. This has greatly distorted the public’s perception of reality.
Last week, the speculation took a more serious turn as the British police were requested to investigate a reported incident involving an attempt to access her private medical records.
“Kate has been coerced into making this statement,” writer Helen Lewis wrote in US magazine the Atlantic.
“The alternative was even more dreadful: a rampant spread of gossip and conspiracy theories.”
Britain’s Daily Mail tabloid also expressed strong disapproval, questioning the emotions of those who engage in online trolling.
Based on what’s being shared on social media, it seems like they aren’t particularly apologetic.
‘Cruel Grifters’
Some individuals on X, previously known as Twitter, and TikTok have alleged that Kate Middleton’s video message was a deepfake created using AI technology.
Several users shared slowed down versions of the video to support an unfounded allegation that it was digitally altered. They questioned why there was no movement in the background, such as a leaf or blade of grass.
Observers closely analyzed her facial expressions and wondered why a dimple, which was present in previous pictures, couldn’t be seen.
“Apologies to the House of Windsor, Kate Middleton, and the legacy media, but I remain unconvinced by your offerings,” expressed a post on X.
“No need to apologize – I assume everyone is familiar with the story of ‘The Little Boy That Cried Wolf,’ correct?”
There was also misinformation circulating about cancer, where some posts inaccurately suggested that the disease was not fatal and made misleading comparisons between chemotherapy and “poison.”
And why should anti-vaccine campaigners be excluded?
A number of individuals joined the conspiracy frenzy, unfoundedly connecting Kate’s diagnosis to “turbo cancer,” a false belief associated with Covid-19 vaccines that has been consistently disproven.
“The claim of ‘turbo cancer’ lacks any supporting evidence,” stated Timothy Caulfield, an expert in misinformation from the University of Alberta in Canada.
According to him, conspiracy theorists are individuals who engage in the unethical practice of exploiting fear and spreading false information.
‘Seed of Doubt’
The abundance of unfounded theories serves as a reminder of the growing skepticism towards facts in today’s online world, which is flooded with misinformation. This problem is further intensified by the lack of trust in institutions and traditional media.
According to researchers, online conversations about important topics such as elections, climate, and health care have been affected by a sense of distrust.
“There is a lack of trust in the information people see and read,” stated Karen Douglas, a professor of social psychology at the University of Kent, in an interview with AFP.
“When doubt takes root and trust is lost, conspiracy theories can gain momentum.”
Speculation surrounding Kate Middleton has been rampant since she stepped back from public life following her attendance at a Christmas Day church service and subsequent abdominal surgery in January.
Speculations ran wild following the princess’s confession of altering a Mother’s Day family portrait, leading to several news agencies, including AFP, retracting it.
Speculation took a wild turn when another video surfaced, capturing Kate casually walking through a market alongside her husband. Some individuals, without any evidence, began spreading the unfounded claim that she had been replaced by a body double.
“In regards to an institution with a long history and limited transparency like the royal family, the public’s lack of trust leads to a strong desire for investigation,” explained Dannagal Young, a professor at the University of Delaware, in an interview with AFP.
The popularity of the princess-related hashtags on social media led to their widespread use for promoting unrelated posts on topics that don’t receive as much attention, such as human rights abuses in India and the Middle East.
According to researchers, the frenzy was exacerbated by a culture of secrecy within the royal family and what appeared to be a poorly executed PR strategy by the palace.
“Frankly, the palace could have addressed the situation much earlier,” Douglas said.
