Case Study: QAnon Conspiracy Theorists Target Wayfair

This report analyzes the amplification of a conspiracy theory about Wayfair, the U.S.-based furniture and home décor company, that went viral after surfacing on the popular sub-Reddit r/Conspiracy in early July 2020. An anonymous QAnon conspiracy theorist falsely claimed that the company operated a vast child trafficking operation in which it shipped and sold children in its industrial cabinets. Disinformation operations are often thought of solely as an issue targeting election season, but the problem is much larger than that. Companies are regular targets of online information campaigns that can have an enormous impact on brand reputation, employee safety, and financial bottom lines.