SincetheSeptember11attacks,anumberofwebsites,books,andfilms,largelypromotedonanddistributedthroughtheInternet,havechallengedthemainstreamaccountoftheattacks.Althoughmainstreammediahasstatedthatal-Qaeda"conspired"toexecutetheattacksontheWorldTradeCenterinthelegalsense,a9/11conspiracytheorygenerallyreferstoabeliefinabroadconspiracy,inwhichtheattackswereexecutedbypowerfulgroupsoftenincludinggovernmentagenciesoranallegedsecretglobalnetwork.Manygroupsandindividualschallengingtheofficialaccountidentifyaspartofthe9/11TruthMovement.

　　Initially,9/11conspiracytheoriesreceivedlittleattentioninthemedia.InanaddresstotheUnitedNationsonNovember10,2001,UnitedStatesPresidentGeorgeW.Bushdenouncedtheemergenceof"outrageousconspiracytheories...thatattempttoshifttheblameawayfromtheterrorists,themselves,awayfromtheguilty.Later,asmediaexposureofconspiracytheoriesoftheeventsof9/11increased,USgovernmentagenciesandtheBushAdministrationissuedrefutationstothetheories,includingaformalresponsebytheNationalInstituteofStandardsandTechnology(NIST)toquestionsaboutthedestructionoftheWorldTradeCenter,arevised2006StateDepartmentwebpagetodebunkthetheories,andastrategypaperreferredtobyPresidentBushinanAugust2006speech,whichdeclaresthatterrorismspringsfrom"subculturesofconspiracyandmisinformation,"andthat"terroristsrecruitmoreeffectivelyfrompopulationswhoseinformationabouttheworldiscontaminatedbyfalsehoodsandcorruptedbyconspiracytheories.Thedistortionskeepalivegrievancesandfilteroutfactsthatwouldchallengepopularprejudicesandself-servingpropaganda.

　　InAugust2004,aZogbyInternationalpollindicatedthat49.3%NewYorkCityresidentsand41%ofNewYorkcitizens"overall"sayUSLeaders"knewinadvancethatattackswereplannedonoraroundSeptember11,2001,andthattheyconsciouslyfailedtoact.InJuly2006,aScrippsHowardandOhioUniversitypollconcludedthat"Thirty-sixpercentofrespondentsoverallsaiditis"verylikely"or"somewhatlikely"thatfederalofficialseitherparticipatedintheattacksontheWorldTradeCenterandthePentagonortooknoactiontostopthem","sixteenpercentsaidit's"verylikely"or"somewhatlikely"thatthecollapseofthetwintowersinNewYorkwasaidedbyexplosivessecretlyplantedinthetwobuildings"and"twelvepercentsuspectthePentagonwasstruckbyamilitarycruisemissilein2001ratherthanbyanairlinercapturedbyterrorists.AMay2006ZogbyInternationalpollindicatedthat42%ofAmericansmorelikelyagreewithpeoplewhobelievethat"theUSgovernmentandits9/11CommissionconcealedorrefusedtoinvestigatecriticalevidencethatcontradictstheirofficialexplanationoftheSeptember11thattacks,sayingtherehasbeenacover-up.ASeptember2006Ipsos-Reidpollfoundthat22percentofCanadiansbelieve"theattacksontheUnitedStatesonSeptember11,2001,hadnothingtodowithOsamaBinLadenandwereactuallyaplotbyinfluentialAmericans.AnOctober2006NewYorkTimesandCBSnewspollshowedthat28percentbelievemembersoftheBushAdministrationaremostlylyingabout"whattheyknewpriortoSeptember11th,2001,aboutpossibleterroristattacksagainsttheUnitedStates.

　　Justpriortothefifthanniversaryoftheattacks,aflurry