Self-sealing
A quality of conspiracy theories that makes them immune to disproof — any counter-evidence is absorbed by supporters as further proof of the conspiracy's depth and reach.
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Origin
Legal scholars Cass Sunstein and Adrian Vermeule introduced the term in their 2009 paper "Conspiracy Theories: Causes and Cures," published in the Journal of Political Philosophy. They described how certain conspiracy theories become self-sealing because any evidence offered to disprove them is reinterpreted by believers as further proof of the conspiracy's depth and reach.
Updated February 22, 2026