How 3 Conspiracy Theorists Took ‘Q’ and Sparked Qanon

NBC News traces the “Qanon” conspiracy theory back to three people.

“Now, the people behind that effort are at the center of a fractious debate among conspiracy enthusiasts, some of whom believe the three people who first popularized the Qanon theory are promoting it in order to make a living. Others suggest that these original followers actually wrote Q’s mysterious posts.”

“While the identity of the original author or authors behind ‘Q’ is still unknown, the history of the conspiracy theory’s spread is well-documented — through YouTube videos, social media posts, Reddit archives, and public records reviewed by NBC News.”