The term "conspiracy" has quite successfully been converted into code for "insane people making ridiculous claims which no sane person should even consider, lest the instanity stare back into them." Which is interesting, given that of course people conspire with each other all the time. Usually there's nothing actually wrong with that.

Of course, from Mkultra ("The government is doing illegal human experiments! They're drugging, torturing and sexually abusing people!") to Project TP-Ajax ("Hay, let's blow up some mosques but blame it on the communists!") to the Tuskegee syphilis experiment ("You know, Bob, sometimes I wonder if they aren't actually treating us just to see how we die.") to, say, the government spying extensively on people domestic and abroad...

People in actual power conspiring to commit what can only be called manipulation and crimes against humanity has been proven to actually happen time and time again. I just picked some examples at random, the list of known and proven instances of this stuff actually taking place is huge. So, you know, I'll gladly take put on my tinfoil hat to make sure the alien mind rays don't get through... if in return, everyone stops demanding that every significant diversion from the official narrative be instantly flagged "Please disregard this and returned to your scheduled programming."

The term "conspiracy theory" is used liberally for any narrative which significantly deviates from whatever is considered mainstream consensus. See "Manufacturing consent" by Chomski for how much that is often worth.

Is there plenty of bullshit theories and claims going around? So many that it becomes almost impossible not to get lost in the storm of lunatic claims? Yes, absolutely. But that goes for both sides of the fence.

I'll certainly not put alternative narratives into the "conspiracy" universe unless I regard them more or less purely speculative or merely entertaining. Should I want to discuss how the queen of England is a lizzard, I'll consider using the tag.

I think both politics and economics are relevant to the question at hand. The governments of the world are doing a lot to make sure our oppinions stay on the right track. They don't need your help.