FACT CHECK: Did The World Economic Forum Make This Statement About People Complying With A ‘Social-Credit Scheme’?
A photo shared on Facebook allegedly shows a screenshot of a news article titled “WEF Says ‘Billions’ Who Complied With Lockdown Restrictions Will Also Comply With ‘Social-Credit Scheme.'”
Verdict: False
There is no evidence to support this claim. It originates from a website known for spreading misinformation.
Fact Check:
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has recently warned the world was at a “point of significant economic danger,” citing multiple experts, according to the organization. Respondents to a survey of chief Economists suggest 64 percent of those polled stated a global recession was “somewhat likely” within the next year, the survey stated.
An Instagram post claims that the WEF said the billions who complied with COVID-19 lockdown regulations will also comply with a “Social-Credit” style scheme around carbon emissions. “WEF Says ‘Billions’ Who Complied With Lockdown Restrictions Will Also Comply With ‘Social-Credit Scheme,” reads the alleged headline.
“It was all a test run,” said the Instagram user who shared the post. (RELATED: Did The World Economic Forum Publish This Graphic Depicting Diets In 2030?)
This claim is not factual and the news article shown is not genuine. There are no credible news reports suggesting the WEF is interested in or is testing a social-credit system. There are no matching search results on the WEF’s website, or any of its verified social media accounts.
The claim stems from an article by NewsPunch, which known for spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories, according to Buzzfeed News. The article cited in the post, titled “‘My Carbon’: An approach for inclusive and sustainable cities,” does discuss COVID-19 and social responsibility, but does not mention social-credit systems or forced implementation of any technology.
Check Your Fact has reached out to WEF for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.
This is not the first time misinformation has spread about WEF. Check Your Fact previously debunked a claim that the WEF issued a memo about the “Great Reset Phase I.”
