I think it started in 2000 when Al Gore who clearly won the election was discarded in favor of Dubya thanks to a biased Supreme Court.

Agreed. Truthiness started to wobble earlier, but I think it's fair to say it still existed. New era will shatter it into a thousand pieces

Earlier. I'd say it started right around the time SEO started taking off big time.

are you the same guy who made the fluid simulation thing and the little volumetric display on youtube?