The coronavirus is one of the most talked about topics worldwide. So far, 3,000 people have lost their lives to the virus, while 89,000 more have fallen ill. So naturally, there are many theories, true and not, that are currently circulating on social media.
Specifically, on Twitter, over a three-month period, more than 2 million tweets promoting conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 virus have been published. One of these theories claims that the coronavirus was developed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation or that it was the result of experiments related to biological weapons.
According to CNN, a Mongolian man was arrested and jailed for 10 days last month after he began spreading rumors that the coronavirus was a biological weapon created by the United States. He was also fined $71.
The Washington Post reports that the US government has found more than seven such fake news stories being spread via Twitter. Some misleading tweets have also claimed that the coronavirus is the result of “inauthentic and coordinated activity” and that foreign governments are deliberately trying to spread fear about the international health emergency that has arisen.
One of the conspiracy theories claims that the coronavirus was created in the laboratories of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which is a Chinese science institute affiliated with the government . Another version of this theory claims that the first patient infected with the virus belonged to the same institute. A similar theory says that the laboratories were working to create biological weapons for the Chinese military and the virus leaked due to a mistake.
What is the truth?
Scientists scientists issued a joint statement saying they oppose all conspiracy theories and strongly condemn them. Their statement was published in a medical journal called The Lancet on February 19.
As for social media users, it is advisable not to spread or share these theories that are not based on evidence and facts, as many are those who tend to believe these stories.
The role of social media
Twitter has not made any official statement on the matter, but it is working with federal officials to combat conspiracy theories.
However, these reports clearly show how conspiracy theories and fake news are taking on a huge dimension. It also shows how social media platforms play a crucial role in the spread of misinformation. The speed at which fake news and conspiracy theories are spreading has surpassed the spread of the virus itself!
