@bonifartius I think the term saw increased usage when governments started losing their quasi-monopolies on misinformation.
GG might be a coincidence or a catalyst.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patreon#Bans_of_specific_users
Relevant, but much later:
https://reclaimthenet.org/dick-masterson-new-project-2-mastercard/
@geopol my point is, things were labeled "conspiracy theory" and just ridiculed. that was going on for decades by then. the spin that the "conspiracy theorists" are _dangerous_ appeared somewhere in the 2010s but i can't pinpoint it to an event. the guess of @CapitalB does feel kinda right though. i have to research that a bit.