Earthquake conspiracy discussion on Twitter

Natural disasters like earthquakes and global crises often prompt conspiracy explanations, which spread rapidly on social media. This study analyzes discourse around the HAARP (High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program) conspiracy on Twitter, focusing on how attention changes over time and what triggers surges in interest. Using Twitter API data, over one million HAARP-related tweets from January 2022 to March 2023 were collected. Sentiment analysis was applied before, during, and after the February 6, 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake. The study finds HAARP discussion frequency increases following high-impact earthquakes and shows a positive correlation between average tweet sentiment and tweet volume, suggesting discussion may reinforce beliefs. Findings contribute to understanding belief reinforcement dynamics within online communities during crises and the impact of social media on public perception.

Dmitry Erokhin, Nadejda Komendantova