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MoreQuiet 9d · day 9

Internet fuels doomsday fears amid nuclear, AI, and financial collapse anxieties

Social media is amplifying apocalyptic predictions, driving people to stockpile supplies despite experts saying catastrophe is unlikely.

newest coverage 8d agosummary written 8d ago3 pieces7 likes & upvotes NewswiresMastodon

What to know

  • Social media is amplifying viral predictions about nuclear war, AI takeover, and financial collapse, driving increased prepping behavior
  • Researchers attribute the trend to widespread uncertainty about the future rather than imminent actual threats
  • Modern doomsday fears differ from Cold War-era survivalism in character and focus

Michael Mills Doomsday prepping researcher

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 3 pieces in two hours at Nov 2, 11 AM; 3 pieces over 9 days (3 articles) Nov 2, 11 AM — 3 pieces · 3 articles — Newswires 2, Mastodon 1Nov 2, 1 PM — quietNov 2, 3 PM — quietNov 2, 5 PM — quietNov 2, 7 PM — quietNov 2, 9 PM — quietNov 2, 11 PM — quietNov 3, 1 AM — quietNov 3, 3 AM — quietNov 3, 5 AM — quietNov 3, 7 AM — quietNov 3, 9 AM — quietNov 3, 11 AM — quietNov 3, 1 PM — quietNov 3, 3 PM — quietNov 3, 5 PM — quietNov 3, 7 PM — quietNov 3, 9 PM — quietNov 3, 11 PM — quietNov 4, 1 AM — quietNov 4, 3 AM — quietNov 4, 5 AM — quietNov 4, 7 AM — quietNov 4, 9 AM — quietNov 4, 11 AM — quietNov 4, 1 PM — quietNov 4, 3 PM — quietNov 4, 5 PM — quietNov 4, 7 PM — quietNov 4, 9 PM — quietNov 4, 11 PM — quietNov 5, 1 AM — quietNov 5, 3 AM — quietNov 5, 5 AM — quietNov 5, 7 AM — quietNov 5, 9 AM — quietNov 5, 11 AM — quietNov 5, 1 PM — quietNov 5, 3 PM — quietNov 5, 5 PM — quietNov 5, 7 PM — quietNov 5, 9 PM — quietNov 5, 11 PM — quietNov 6, 1 AM — quietNov 6, 3 AM — quietNov 6, 5 AM — quietNov 6, 7 AM — quietNov 6, 9 AM — quietNov 6, 11 AM — quietNov 6, 1 PM — quietNov 6, 3 PM — quietNov 6, 5 PM — quietNov 6, 7 PM — quietNov 6, 9 PM — quietNov 6, 11 PM — quietNov 7, 1 AM — quietNov 7, 3 AM — quietNov 7, 5 AM — quietNov 7, 7 AM — quietNov 7, 9 AM — quietNov 7, 11 AM — quietNov 7, 1 PM — quietNov 7, 3 PM — quietNov 7, 5 PM — quietNov 7, 7 PM — quietNov 7, 9 PM — quietNov 7, 11 PM — quietNov 8, 1 AM — quietNov 8, 3 AM — quietNov 8, 5 AM — quietNov 8, 7 AM — quietNov 8, 9 AM — quietNov 8, 11 AM — quietNov 8, 1 PM — quietNov 8, 3 PM — quietNov 8, 5 PM — quietNov 8, 7 PM — quietNov 8, 9 PM — quietNov 8, 11 PM — quietNov 9, 1 AM — quietNov 9, 3 AM — quietNov 9, 5 AM — quietNov 9, 7 AM — quietNov 9, 9 AM — quietNov 9, 11 AM — quietNov 9, 1 PM — quietNov 9, 3 PM — quietNov 9, 5 PM — quietNov 9, 7 PM — quietNov 9, 9 PM — quietNov 9, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 3 AM — quiet 1
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  1. 1

    Social media amplifies doomsday predictions, drives prepping purchases

    Axios reports that online chatter about nuclear war, AI takeover, and financial collapse is spreading virally across social media, convincing people to stockpile supplies. Michael Mills, a University of Kent researcher who has studied doomsday prepping for over a decade, attributes modern doomsday fears to an overall reaction to uncertainty.

    “It's an overall reaction to uncertainty in most cases.”
    — Michael Mills

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 2 outlets The internet's latest obsession: The end of the world

    first by Mastodon, 8d ago · also Axios