Did a secret book fuel a witch-hunting frenzy in Europe?

In this episode of Deja Vu, we explore the role of new media in fueling conspiracy theories, tracing a trajectory from historical witch-hunts to the rise of artificial intelligence.

Conspiracy theories have shaped European history for six centuries. The advent of the printing press inadvertently accelerated the spread of witch-hunting accusations, while the same technology paved the way for the Enlightenment. During the Nazi era, radio was weaponized to command mass compliance, and later, social media promised liberty before revealing itself as a tool for authoritarian control. This segment examines these historical patterns and predicts the potential trajectory of artificial intelligence.

In this episode:

Episode credits:

This episode was produced by Mohamed Hassan, Marcos Bartolome, Marthe van der Wolf and Sonia Bhagat and was edited by Alexandra Locke. Our engagement producer is Adam Abou-Gad. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan.

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