The CIA Did Not Invent The Term “Conspiracy Theory”

A number of social media users have been stating that the term “conspiracy theory” was coined by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency to suppress people who are wise enough to question accepted truths. Some of these users have referenced scholarly analysis that allegedly supports this statement. A possible origin for the widespread of this belief is a 2018 blog that cites a Freedom of Information Act document from the CIA concerning the assassination of President Kennedy as proof that the CIA created/twisted the term. 

These posts have gained significant interactions, with users on Twitter alone gaining hundreds of likes and retweets.