Film Club: ‘What Do We Do About Q?’

Note to Teachers: The film contains some graphic images and disturbing themes. Please watch it in advance to make sure it is appropriate for your students.

Have you heard of QAnon? Are you worried about its spread and growth?

“What Do We Do About Q?” is an 11-minute film that touches on themes of truth, lies, fear and technology. In it, Kirby Ferguson, a documentary filmmaker, argues that while QAnon conspiracy theories might seem ridiculous, the consequences are real. He warns that while laughter and mockery might feel like the natural response, they will not be enough to make these outlandish and dangerous ideas go away.

Why do people believe in conspiracy theories? What can we do to combat the spread of them?

Students

1. Watch the short film above. While you watch, you might take notes using our Film Club Double-Entry Journal (PDF) to help you remember specific moments.

2. After watching, think about these questions:

• What moments in this film stood out for you? Why?

• Were there any surprises? Anything that challenged what you know — or thought you knew?

• What messages, emotions or ideas will you take away from this film? Why?

• What questions do you still have?

• What connections can you make between this film and your own life or experience? Why? Does this film remind you of anything else you’ve read or seen? If so, how and why?

3. An additional challenge | Respond to the essential question at the top of this post: Why do people believe in conspiracy theories?

4. Next, join the conversation by clicking on the comment button and posting in the box that opens on the right. (Students 13 and older are invited to comment, although teachers of younger students are welcome to post what their students have to say.)

5. After you have posted, try reading back to see what others have said, then respond to someone else by posting another comment. Use the “Reply” button or the @ symbol to address that student directly.

6. To learn more about QAnon, read “What Is QAnon, the Viral Pro-Trump Conspiracy Theory?” Kevin Roose writes:

If you’re spending a lot of time online these days — and thanks to the pandemic, many of us are — you’ve probably heard of QAnon, the sprawling internet conspiracy theory that has taken hold among some of President Trump’s supporters.

But unless you’re very online, you likely still have questions about what exactly is going on.

QAnon was once a fringe phenomenon — the kind most people could safely ignore. But in recent months, it’s gone mainstream. For months, QAnon supporters have been flooding social media with false information about Covid-19, the Black Lives Matter protests and the 2020 election. QAnon supporters have also been trying to attach themselves to other activist causes, such as the anti-vaccine and anti-child-trafficking movements, in an effort to expand their ranks.

QAnon has also seeped into the offline world, with some believers charged with violent crimes, including one QAnon follower accused of murdering a mafia boss in New York last year and another who was arrested in April and accused of threatening to kill Joseph R. Biden Jr., the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned that QAnon poses a potential domestic terror threat.

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More?

• See all the films in this series.

• Read our list of practical teaching ideas, along with responses from students and teachers, for how you can use these documentaries in the classroom.