Exactly...Terms like 'misinformation', 'conspiracy theory', 'experts say' and 'fact checkers' have become terms that involve no real facts or truth, only labels and opinions.
The front two being used to discredit while the back two are used to solidify a narrative in the guise of truth.
So when you can't prove the validity of an assertion, just discredit the validity of the first two terms entirely so they can no longer be used at all to describe any ridiculous theory (good example, "Earth is flat").
As an amateur astrophotographer, I have photos of stars in motion that can only mean Earth is spherical. Conclusively. I've observed it myself. But I can't use 'misinformation' or 'conspiracy theory' in regards to Flat Earth Theory? Although, not really conspiracy but more like a 'crackpot theory'.
Then, completely discredit the people or agencies with a greater view on the entirety of a particular situation (NASA, pro and am astronomers, etc) so there is zero pushback on said assertion.
So when all is said and done, we're left with, just come up with anything you like and for some people, it becomes their reality/truth?
It sounds like the individuals making that baseless claim (i.e. Earth is flat), rather than attempting to convince or prove that theory using hard data, thry've just decided to change the rules of proving hypotheses altogether.
How do we rule out bad theories then? Or do we just not do that anymore? I think I understand what you're saying though. Which is that these terms have been so ridiculously overused in the last few years (and they REALLY have), the terms have lost all potency. And as for the 'experts' and 'fact checkers' well... they have been so miserably wrong so often that their credibility has been strained as well.