One of the things that really stuck with meabout 11 September 2001 (I was 13 at the time) was what my uncle said whilst we were watching those indescribable images on the television:

“Get ready. Because everything’s about to change.”

I was startled. I tried asking , “What do you mean?”, but the reply was, once again, “Everything will change.”

Now I understand what he meant. The world’s dominant power, the almighty United States of America, had been struck at its very heart: its wealth and trade (the World Trade Centre), its defence (the Pentagon) and, had it not been for the heroic passengers on Flight 93, its government (the White House or the Capitol).

My uncle was right, although perhaps in a different way to how he imagined. A brilliant article by Eugenio Cau in *Il Post* reminds us that, a quarter of a century on, we are still living in a world shaped by 9/11. And the consequences have been predominantly negative: the US has lost its unipolar moment (which made the world a safer place – it really was safer before; just look at it now!) and democracies have been weakened everywhere.

One particular consequence continues to strike me as remarkable: 11 September, combined with the subsequent explosion of social media, has left its mark on recent history through the excessive proliferation of conspiracy theories.
It is a deeply human phenomenon that speaks to our insecurities and our fear of discovering just how frightening the world is and how it is almost entirely beyond our control.

Conspiracy theories give us a sense of security and superiority, albeit illusory ones. Security, because if I delude myself into thinking I have grasped the ‘real truth’ — the hidden one —, I somehow believe I have it under control. Knowledge really is power. Superiority, because if the majority of people ‘don’t know’, this makes me one of the chosen few. The problem is that this sense of security crumbles as soon as one realises that the alternative reality is worse than the official one. The thought that it was the US itself that organised the attack makes everything even more distressing, because it erases every point of reference. So the need for security increases, and we satisfy it by injecting ourselves with yet another conspiracy theory. Those who believe in one conspiracy end up believing in them all.

From an individual psychological need, conspiracy theories have become a geopolitical weapon. In recent years, this phenomenon has become systemic, fuelled by the pandemic and strategic disinformation. Fake news has always existed, but under Putin’s Russia it has become a weapon of widespread attack, designed to destabilise Western democracies. Because Putin’s worldview is incompatible with our freedoms.

All this creates widespread insecurity. And when people are afraid, they instinctively look for a strong man (or woman). They become inward-looking, xenophobic and seek scapegoats. Instead of joining forces, we become divided. It is no coincidence that the far right is on the rise everywhere. And it is no coincidence that the perfect target is the European Union, the greatest political experiment of the twentieth century (‘united in diversity’), which should be completed but instead risks being dismantled. But if nationalist forces were to prevail, Europe would die. And we would become immensely poorer, less secure and more vulnerable to commercial, cyber and even military attacks. There is a specific reason why the EU felt the need to launch the European Shield for Democracy, to protect member states from hybrid threats and foreign interference.

Combating conspiracy theories is extremely difficult: not because false news cannot be refuted (much of it can be, with disarming ease!), but because the problem is not the information itself, but the person receiving it. Readers want to believe it. Our fear is the real driving force: disinformation works because it taps into a psychological need. That is why the answer lies not only in fact-checking, but in educating people to think critically, sceptically, scientifically and rationally. No one is immune: even I can fall for it.

With the upcoming elections on the horizon, even Antonio Tajani (and I mean Tajani, not Calenda) has sounded the alarm over potential foreign interference. Fake news will fuel this attack on our democratic sovereignty. Who knows whether the Government of which Tajani is a member will take any concrete action. In the meantime, let’s make the most of the initiative by Europeisti.eu, which has produced a practical guide to help citizens and voters recognise and counter disinformation.

Twenty-five years on from that 11 September, I can say: you were right, Uncle. The world has changed. ‘Be prepared,’ you used to say. Let’s shift the emphasis: let’s become prepared. Let’s join forces, without giving in to fear. Let’s not waste any more time.