Visual Evidence and Counter-Knowledge: Photography in the Circulation of Conspiracy Theories on Telegram

This paper examines the role of photography-based images shared on the Telegram messenger in the dissemination and legitimization of conspiracy theories. Through a detailed typology of these images, I analyze how visual content is employed within conspiratorial communities to validate alternative narratives and construct counter-knowledge. By focusing on the specific ways photography is used as a medium of "proof" and evidence, this paper reveals the underlying assumptions about photographic truth that these groups rely on.

The research also reflects on the methodological and ethical challenges of conducting digital ethnography in these settings, particularly with regard to the use of images as sources of authority and persuasion. Additionally, it situates these findings within the broader political and social context that fuels the rise of online conspiracy theories, exploring the relationship between digital infrastructures and the co-production of suspicious knowledge.

This paper contributes to the ongoing - but still nascent - discourse on the interplay between visual media, digital platforms and the formation of alternative epistemological communities. Additionally, it sheds light on the shape of the formation of conspiratorial thought and the visual culture that sustains it.