I suspect that's how it started and then put it out there and gained momentum. Possibly as a joke.

As a note on satire, is there a term for satire which is perpetuated for long enough that is take seriously at some point by someone?

I have been referring to this pattern as "the pizzagate phenomenon". Basically, making a joke repeatedly until it reaches an audience that's not in on the joke. It is not quite a "self-fulfilling prophecy.

Asking Gemini (ironically), I come up with Poe's Law.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe%27s_law]

> Poe's law is an adage of Internet culture which states that, without a clear indicator of the author's intent (such as an emoticon or a disclaimer), it is impossible to create a parody of extreme views so obviously exaggerated that it cannot be mistaken by some readers for a sincere expression of those views. This "law" describes exactly the scenario you've outlined: a joke or satirical statement, especially online where tone and body language are absent, is perpetuated long enough that it reaches an audience not "in on the joke" and is subsequently believed to be a genuine viewpoint.

Poe's Law is infamous if you are a slashdot reader of a certain age.

Yup, that's it! Thanks for the link.

I kinda explain a lot odd stuff through this lens.

Pizzagate was not satire, though. It was malicious disinformation. Aka lies.

Specifically to prepoison the collective consciousness to gloss over the newly revealed facts that real active politicians have participated in a large international trafficking ring

Yeah sure but Ycombinator still wrote them a $500.000 check