Most describe QAnon as a 'conspiracy' or group' while some mention 'right-leaning" or 'child trafficking" Among USS adults who have heard or read about QAnon, % whose responses to an open Lended survey question asking What is QAnon?" included mentions of
When asked to describe QAnon, people most often mentioned that it was a group of some kind (41%) or a conspiracy group or theory (44%). When Americans who said they had heard at least a little about QAnon were asked to write in their own words what they thought it was, they were most likely to describe it as a group of some kind or include a more specific description of it as a conspiracy group or theory.
Far fewer wrote in other kinds of descriptions. Two-in-ten mentioned that it is a right-wing group or theory (20%) or that it is a theory about child abuse or trafficking (20%). Another 16% connected it directly to President Donald Trump, either by saying that Trump supports the group or that the group views him as a hero, savior or victim. (Responses could fit into more than one of these categories.)
Most describe QAnon as a 'conspiracy'  | or group' while some mention  | 'right-leaning" or 'child trafficking"  | Among USS adults who have heard or read about  | QAnon, % whose responses to an open Lended survey  | question asking What is QAnon?" included  | mentions of  | Conspiracy  | 44%  | a group or organization  | 41  | Association with the  | 20  | political right  | Child trafficking or abuse  | 20  | 16  | Trump as savior/victim  | Extreme or marginal  | 13  | The political left as villain  | 8  | Note: Responses could fit into multiple categories Open-ended  | responses were machine coded and confirmed by human coders.  | a total of 5% of respondents said they didn't know or weren't sure  | Respondents who did not provide an answer Aug not shown.  | Source: Survey of U.S adults conducted Aug 31 Sept. 7, 2020.  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 