Politics has changed. Citizens once passively received mass media news. Today, in the age of social media, citizens are actively engaged in crafting and spreading stories to others. As consequence, rumors, i.e., difficult-to-verify information, abound in politics. Surprisingly often, these rumors share similarities to conspiracy theories and portray opposing groups as "evil". The rise of Donald Trump's candidacy is a striking example. In Denmark too, Muslims organizations are broadcasted on social media as terrorist nests, pro-immigration politicians as collaborationists and the rightwing as secretly planning to dismantle all welfare. In the age of social media, the spread of political rumors is fast, impactful and, hence, crucial to understand.

Why are people susceptible to political rumors, how do they affect political trust, and when can their potential harmful effects be remedied? Answering these questions require novel theories and methods adapted to social media. This project accomplishes this by (1) building a novel theory of the social functions of political rumors and (2) developing innovative experimental methods that mimics the reception and spread of information on social media. To facilitate broad impact, the project will provide operational advice to society on how to hinder the spread of false rumors.