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== Misinformation and conspiracy theories ==
[[Misinformation]] and [[Conspiracy theory|conspiracy theories]] have spread wildly on social media.<ref name="BBC_conspiracies22">{{Cite web |last=Spring |first=Marianna |date=July 14, 2024 |title=How conspiracy theories swirled after Donald Trump shooting |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyr7pyd0687o |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240714181059/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyr7pyd0687o |archive-date=July 14, 2024 |access-date=July 14, 2024 |website=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> According to ''[[The Washington Post]]'': "As more Americans lose trust in mainstream institutions and turn to partisan commentators and influencers for information, experts say they are seeing a big uptick in the manufacture and spread of [left-wing] conspiracy theories, a sign that the communal warping of reality is no longer occurring primarily on the right."<ref name="Washington Post-20242">{{Cite news |last=Lorenz |first=Taylor |date=July 14, 2024 |title='BlueAnon' conspiracy theories flood social media after Trump rally shooting |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/07/14/blueanon-conspiracy-theories-trump-rally-shooting/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240714224035/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/07/14/blueanon-conspiracy-theories-trump-rally-shooting/ |archive-date=July 14, 2024 |access-date=July 14, 2024 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286 |quote=As more Americans lose trust in mainstream institutions and turn to partisan commentators and influencers for information, experts say they are seeing a big uptick in the manufacture and spread of [left-wing] conspiracy theories, a sign that the communal warping of reality is no longer occurring primarily on the right.}}</ref> [[BBC News]] said that "the real change... is how this kind of lingo is being widely used by the average social media users" rather than being on the [[Fringe theory|fringe]].<ref name="BBC_conspiracies22" /> Further noting that much of the "most-viral" false posts "came from left-leaning users who regularly share their anti-Trump views".<ref name="BBC_conspiracies22" />
Many left-wing accounts claimed that Trump was not shot, that the blood on Trump's ear was from a theatrical gel pack, that the shooting was a [[false flag]] coordinated by the Secret Service in collaboration with the Trump campaign, and that [[Crisis actor|crisis actors]] were deployed by a right-wing "[[deep state]]" to reelect Trump.<ref name="BBC_conspiracies22" /><ref name="Washington Post-20242" /> On [[Twitter|X]], NBC News said that conspiracy theories "gained traction" and "flourished" in the minutes afterwards, with the word "staged" becoming the second-highest trending topic immediately after "Trump". Right-wing conspiracy theories were also posted. "[[Antifa (United States)|Antifa]]" also became a top trending topic after posts on Twitter blamed the shooting on a "prominent Antifa activist", falsely identifying him as "Mark Violets" using a photograph of Marco Violi, an Italian soccer vlogger.<ref name="NBC News-20242">{{Cite web |date=July 14, 2024 |title=Conspiracy theories about the Trump rally shooting flourish online |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/trump-rally-shooting-conspiracy-theories-flourish-online-rcna161752 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240714185028/https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/trump-rally-shooting-conspiracy-theories-flourish-online-rcna161752 |archive-date=July 14, 2024 |access-date=July 14, 2024 |website=NBC News}}</ref>
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