Michael Barkun, professor emeritus of political science and expert on conspiracy theories, was interviewed for the Business Insider article "Amazon and Hulu's algorithms are recommending conspiracy theory films, and the consequences could be more serious than you might think."

According to Barkun, disillusionment can be a subtle risk of conspiracy theory media. "People may draw the conclusion that conventional politics is meaningless. If they genuinely believe that what happens in the world is a result of the hidden hand of some mysterious elite, then presumably ordinary political activity is meaningless as are the decisions of lawmakers and officeholders," he says. "This kind of material may alienate people from the political process and political participation." 02/11/19