Quackcrep exhibits lower overt falsehood density than classical quackery but higher persistence. Remediation requires time-stamped consensus alerts rather than fact-check flags.
Quackcrep: A Conceptual Analysis of Digital Charlatanism in Pseudomedical Ecosystems quackcrep
This paper introduces the neologism “quackcrep” — a portmanteau of “quack” (medical fraud) and “crep” (from crepuscular , meaning active at twilight or deceptive half-visibility). We define quackcrep as the gradual, low-visibility spread of pseudo-expertise through social media micro-influencers. Using a qualitative case study approach, we analyze three emergent behaviors. Findings suggest quackcrep operates below traditional debunking thresholds. quackcrep