The QAnon conspiracy theory continued to evolve since the start of 2021, despite platform crackdowns, former President Donald Trump leaving office, and its central figure, “Q,” going dark. The movement went on to fuel efforts to undermine democracy and our public health and continued embracing and incorporating new forms of extremism and other conspiracy theories.

Media Matters has documented in a multipart series that continued growth, which helped the conspiracy theory evolve into a lasting movement:

• Part 1: How QAnon fueled false voter fraud claims and attempts to undermine democracy, including the Capitol insurrection and other efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election -- and future elections.

• Part 2: How QAnon gave a boost to anti-vax figures and became increasingly intertwined with the anti-vaccine movement, including via cross-pollination between the two movements.

• Part 3: How the QAnon community focused on local politics, incorporated new extremist beliefs, and saw the rise of new and dangerous influencers.