The flat earth community is best represented as a three-tiered pyramid structure and at the top of the pyramid are the prolific flat earthers.

Prolific flat earthers capitalize on this divide between the public and experts, encouraging the community to seek their own truth, even on well-established facts such as the shape of the Earth. They react to the conversations happening in the community and create content such as books, videos, podcasts, art, and merchandise to further the agenda of the group.

Their actions stimulate conversations and interactions within and outside of the community. However, while some may be motivated by their beliefs in the conspiracy theory, some might simply be enjoying the attention and monetary gains they receive from the community.

Interestingly, the level of conspiracy beliefs has remained roughly the same for the past centuries. Rather, we have been paying more attention to these theories now thanks to the connectivity of the Internet, pulling them out from the edge of the Earth.

Unlike traditional mass media and journalism, the Internet does not have similar guardrails to prevent misinformation from being shared. Instead, it allows direct access to information, revealing “truth”. These platforms became the prime location for prolific flat earthers to disseminate conspiracy theories and gather supporters.

Flat earthers are often introduced to the theory through their friends sharing online content with them. While a few videos might not be sufficient to change the long-held belief of a spherical Earth in one’s mind, the platforms’ algorithm delivers tailored recommendations to encourage them to dive deeper into the bizarre claim.

Ultimately, through repeated viewing of similar content, fear and insecurity intensify, allowing doubts to brew in their minds. They constantly search for more inaccurate information on the web to reinforce their newly found belief, falling down the rabbit hole.