DISINFO: Media spreading panic about coronavirus to divert attention from unpopular issues like Brexit
DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS
  • Outlet: mundo.sputniknews.com (archived)*
  • Date of publication: February 06, 2020
  • Outlet language(s): Spanish
  • Reported in: Issue 184
  • Countries / regions discussed: China, Russia
Tags:
coronavirus Brexit Conspiracy theory

DISINFO: Media spreading panic about coronavirus to divert attention from unpopular issues like Brexit

SUMMARY

International media are seizing the opportunity provided by the new coronavirus outbreak to criticize China, spreading panic to divert attention from many unpopular decisions in their own countries. For example, the focus isn’t on Brexit as much as before.

RESPONSE

Conspiracy theory. No evidence is provided to support the claim.

This is part of pro-Kremlin disinformation efforts on coronavirus aiming to put some blame on the West for allegedly exploiting this outbreak for their own purposes, namely isolating China. While many baseless conspiracy theories emerged all over the world amidst the COVID-19 outbreak, there is no proof that Western media are deliberately promoting them. On the other hand, there is mounting evidence that pro-Kremlin media are spreading disinformation on the disease for political purposes in a coordinated campaign.

You can see other examples of Kremlin-led disinformation narratives on the coronavirus outbreak in our database, such as claims that Bill Gates and George Soros are sponsoring it, that it is a UK, US or NATO creation and Americans have its cure, that it is an artificial disease which specifically targets Chinese DNA, that it was created with economic goals while big pharma companies are spreading panic for their own profits, that it is a biological weapon against Russia and China, that it will wipe out Ukraine’s population in a few days or that it was predicted by Nostradamus and others.

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Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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