Editing Conspiracy theory (section)

===Government policies===
The primary defense against conspiracy theories is to maintain an [[open society]], in which many sources of reliable information are available, and government sources are known to be credible rather than propaganda. Additionally, independent nongovernmental organizations are able to correct misinformation without requiring people to trust the government.<ref name="SunsteinVermeule2009"/> The absence of [[civil rights]] and [[civil liberties]] reduces the number of information sources available to the population, which may lead people to support conspiracy theories.<ref name="SunsteinVermeule2009"/> Since the credibility of conspiracy theories can be increased if governments act dishonestly or otherwise engage in objectionable actions, avoiding such actions is also a relevant strategy.<ref name="ConnollyUscinski2019"/>

Joseph Pierre has said that mistrust in authoritative institutions is the core component underlying many conspiracy theories and that this mistrust creates an epistemic vacuum and makes individuals searching for answers vulnerable to misinformation. Therefore, one possible solution is offering consumers a seat at the table to mend their mistrust in institutions.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Pierre|first1=JM|title=Mistrust and misinformation: A two-component, socio-epistemic model of belief in conspiracy theories|journal=Journal of Social and Political Psychology |volume=8|issue=2|year=2020|pages=617–641|doi=10.5964/jspp.v8i2.1362|doi-access=free}}</ref> Regarding the challenges of this approach, Pierre has said, "The challenge with acknowledging areas of uncertainty within a public sphere is that doing so can be weaponized to reinforce a post-truth view of the world in which everything is debatable, and any counter-position is just as valid. Although I like to think of myself as a middle of the road kind of individual, it is important to keep in mind that the truth does not always lie in the middle of a debate, whether we are talking about climate change, vaccines, or antipsychotic medications."<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Aftab|first1=Awais|title=There and Back Again: Joseph Pierre, M.D.|journal=Psychiatric Times|volume=38|issue=1|year=2021|url=https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/there-back-joseph-pierre}}</ref>

Researchers have recommended that public policies should take into account the possibility of conspiracy theories relating to any policy or policy area, and prepare to combat them in advance.<ref name="ConnollyUscinski2019"/><ref name="Andrade2020"/> Conspiracy theories have suddenly arisen in the context of policy issues as disparate as land-use laws and bicycle-sharing programs.<ref name="ConnollyUscinski2019"/> In the case of public communications by government officials, factors that improve the effectiveness of communication include using clear and simple messages, and using messengers which are trusted by the target population. Government information about conspiracy theories is more likely to be believed if the messenger is perceived as being part of someone's [[in-group]]. Official representatives may be more effective if they share characteristics with the target groups, such as ethnicity.<ref name="ConnollyUscinski2019">{{cite journal|last1=Connolly|first1=Jennifer M.|last2=Uscinski|first2=Joseph E.|last3=Klofstad|first3=Casey A.|last4=West|first4=Jonathan P.|title=Communicating to the Public in the Era of Conspiracy Theory|journal=Public Integrity|volume=21|issue=5|year=2019|pages=469–476|doi=10.1080/10999922.2019.1603045}}</ref>

In addition, when the government communicates with citizens to combat conspiracy theories, online methods are more efficient compared to other methods such as print publications. This also promotes transparency, can improve a message's perceived trustworthiness, and is more effective at reaching underrepresented demographics. However, {{as of|2019|lc=y}}, many governmental websites do not take full advantage of the available information-sharing opportunities. Similarly, social media accounts need to be used effectively in order to achieve meaningful communication with the public, such as by responding to requests that citizens send to those accounts. Other steps include adapting messages to the communication styles used on the social media platform in question, and promoting a culture of openness. Since mixed messaging can support conspiracy theories, it is also important to avoid conflicting accounts, such as by ensuring the accuracy of messages on the social media accounts of individual members of the organization.<ref name="ConnollyUscinski2019"/>