Into the Q storm : uncovering the narrative of QAnon

The alarming growth of QAnon, a conspiracy theory group, is just the tip of a complex issue that is dividing the world. From conspiracy theories shared on the internet to storming Capitol Hill and disrupting the public and political discourse, QAnon quickly become a major threat in the real world. Nevertheless, there is still a limited understanding of its anatomy, characteristics and who are the followers, especially within academia. To address the gap, I will attempt to uncover the narrative of QAnon and its characteristics as the main focus of this research. Conducting a content analysis on 6, 432 posts from Q drops, 8kun, r/QAnon_Casualties, and r/Qult_Headquarters implies taking into consideration two opposite perspective: the QAnon insider view and the outsider perspective that takes an anti-QAnon stand. The results are pointing out to an engaging “good vs evil” fight behind the movement as well as cult behavior and a goal to discredit any authority, among others. The conclusion contains several unexplored paths for future research and practical advice to the public and institutions about how to make sense of QAnon.