FACT CHECK: Did The World Economic Forum Send This Tweet About The Age Of Consent ‘Infringing On Human Rights’?
An image shared on Instagram claims to show a tweet from the World Economic Forum (WEF) about how age of consent laws “may be infringing on human rights.”
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Verdict: False
There is no record of the WEF sending this tweet.
Fact Check:
The WEF is an international organization that “engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas,” according to its website. Now, an Instagram post shows what appears to be a screen grab of a tweet from the WEF’s verified Twitter account.
“Should the age of consent be lowered to 13 or less?” the purported tweet reads. “How age of consent laws may be infringing on human rights.” The alleged tweet seemingly includes a link to the WEF website. (RELATED: Did Bill Gates And Klaus Schwab Make These Statements About How COVID-19 Will Lead To Greater ‘Control’ Over Mankind?)
There is no record, however, of the WEF sending such a tweet. Check Your Fact searched the WEF’s verified Twitter account but found no instances of the tweet shown in the Instagram post. An archived screen grab of the WEF’s Twitter page from June 24, the day after the alleged screen grab was shared on Instagram, likewise shows no tweet questioning whether the age of consent should be lowered.
The supposed WEF article linked in the fake tweet could not be found on the organization’s website either. The link does not lead to any article.
“We have never [written] such an article,” Alem Tedeneke, a spokesperson for the WEF, told Check Your Fact in an email.
The WEF, and its founder Klaus Schwab, have previously been the subject of viral misinformation. Check Your Fact in March debunked the baseless claim that Schwab sent a tweet about the WEF working with the Biden administration to “ensure that most people will survive the coming food shortage.”