I think it's possible for someone to rationally theorize, even determine they are the target of a conspiracy.The government certainly employs this when deemed necessary, for investigations, no mystery there. With how connected people are thanks to technological hardware, the Internet, and social media, the public can easily achieve this if someone is percieved as a threat to everyone. This measure is probably taken when the law fails to pursue such a threat as determined fit by local society or if they want to go mid evil on said threat without the system's restrictive say on it.

Realistically, I do not think everyone around that person would be in on it. With technology going the way it is though, it's only a matter of time until something close to that would be possible (like people having been downloaded the information via their cerebral wifi, if something like that was invented; think of the show Continuum). Even then, not everyone would be informed - some people cannot keep up with the charade and/or are too liable to over-react.

People are nothing if not habitual, and a government collective or civilian coalition could easily persuade others. All that is needed is material that other people agree justify such a cause. Remember, police and other law officials are human first and foremost. They would more likely then not look the other way if they believe the law falls short on punishing someone. Even more so if the situation is personal.

I don't believe everyone that claims they are being monitored are. I believe a small minority of them could very well be. It's very difficult to determine, if done well. Who would believe them if they found out for certain?

People think that conspiracy theories are nothing more than that - theories. Yet consider that we do it in small ways all the time. To throw a surprise party, find out if someone is cheating in a relationship, setting two people up on a date, pulling a prank on someone. Those things usually require more than one person conspiring with another without the subject's knowledge.

The question you should be asking is why - why would a group of people want to put someone through this? It could be for many reasons, but all of them stir strong emotional and personal reactions. Think of Casey Anthony. The day she was released, women that had a similar semblance to hers were being attacked! People still do not know where she's hiding. I do not doubt that there are people out there trying to find out, and probably not for an autograph. Michael Jackson was accused of raping children. He wasn't found guilty, but almost everyone that discusses it mentions either doubting he didn't or being utterly convinced he did. FBI records reveal the concern for terrorist threats and actual threats.

These are people that were very publicized, and they have the insulation of added security and fame. Yet there are people like Michael accused of rape and like Casey, believed responsible for the death of a child. Don't you think the people in society that believe them guilty and not charged would collect on what these individuals are perceived to owe (for being proposed responsible for such crimes)?

There is a member of this site that had posts used against them on here to affect their relationship with someone of a close relation (I am not stating whom or of the exact nature out of respect, but I feel bad that this happened to them). This person is now paranoid about being watched on here and how their information on here is being used against them.

There is even a movie coming out about how social media is being used to take advantage of people: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bling_Ring