Covid-19: Bill Gates, bogeyman of virus conspiracy theorists

A protestor wears a face mask reading ‘Give Gates (refering to Bill Gates) no Chance’ as she attends a protest against restrictions implemented in order to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, on May 16, 2020 near the Chancellery and the Reichstag building (reflected in her glasses) in Berlin, Germany. Gates – whose eponymous foundation has spent billions of dollars improving healthcare in developing countries over the past 20 years – has become ‘a kind of abstract boogeyman’, said Phillips. — AFP

PARIS: False claims targeting billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates are gaining traction online since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, with experts warning they could hamper efforts to curb the virus.

Doctored photos and fabricated news articles crafted by conspiracy theorists – shared thousands of times on social media platforms and messaging apps, in various languages – have gone as far as accusing the Microsoft founder of creating the outbreak.