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.