In the last three months, the famous Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, has been cited around 1.2 million times in conspiracy theories. However, it turns out that these theories are linked to the current Covid-19 pandemic impacting the planet.
Bill Gates, a prime target for conspiracy theorists? This is what a publication from the New York Times suggests. on April 17, 2020, reporting on the work of the Zignal Labs analysis laboratory. Not long ago, we discussed theories associating 5G antennas with the spread of Covid-19. However, Bill Gates has been quoted about 1.2 million times in publications virulent between February and April, namely 33% more than those evoking 5G antennas.
Why such relentlessness? It seems that this situation is fueled by an interview with Bill Gates from 2015. Gates was asked about his greatest fears. Among his answers was the risk of a serious global pandemic intervening during his lifetime. Incidentally, Bill Gates had explained the fact that our societies were ill-prepared for it, which was also very far from being false.
Theories circulating about the founder of Microsoft give several reasons. Let us quote for example the one evoking a Bill Gates already aware the arrival of the Covid-19 epidemic and wishing to capitalize on this disaster. Critics point to a patent filing for a vaccine filed by the British laboratory Pirbright Institute. However, this laboratory is partly financed by the former computer scientist. However, if this patent does exist, you should know that it is intended to treat another coronavirus and not the Covid-19.
Another reason relates to Bill Gates' recent criticism of the President of the United States, Donald Trump. In addition to having criticized the management of the epidemic across the Atlantic , he also castigated the decision of the president in front of the WHO. Indeed, Donald Trump wants to stop the funding of this organization.
Far-right columnists, conspiracy theorists and other anti-vaccine activists have therefore been hounding Bill Gates for several months. Founded in 2000, the Bill-and-Melinda-Gates Foundation has spent billions on various vaccination campaigns. If the initiative may seem commendable, critics of Bill Gates and his foundation are not new . Let us quote for example the journalist Lionel Astruc, who in 2019 published a book entitled The art of false generosity. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation .
