No, Klaus Schwab hasn’t hired millions of "information warriors" to control the internet

By: Annet Preethi Furtado
June 9 2023

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Context

Posts on social media claim that Klaus Schwab has hired millions of "Information Warriors" to "seize control of the internet." These posts include a screenshot of an article published on April 7, 2023, by The People's Voice, a Los Angeles-based news website, formerly known as NewsPunch, infamous for writing fabricated stories. The article alleges that the World Economic Forum's (WEF) "information warriors" are targeting conspiracy forums and YouTube comments sections, masquerading as regular users while secretly disrupting discussions and covertly promoting Schwab's WEF ideology.

The article further claims that the WEF, under the leadership of Schwab, considers misinformation on the internet as an "infodemic" that requires intervention. It implies that the WEF's "information warriors" are working to stifle opposition to the global elite by targeting online platforms such as conspiracy forums and YouTube comments. The article also mentions an announcement by U.N. Communications Director Melissa Fleming made on a WEF podcast, where she discusses recruiting 110,000 information volunteers to combat misinformation, portraying it as hiring "Information Warriors."

However, the assertion that Schwab enrolled individuals as "information warriors" to control social media and create support for the WEF is entirely unfounded. It also distorts the nature of the U.N.'s "Verified" initiative, which was introduced in May 2020 with the primary objective of combatting misinformation surrounding COVID-19.

In Fact

The WEF podcast featuring Fleming was published along with an article on the WEF's blog platform, Agenda. Agenda invites guests to write on various topics and issues of the day based on pitches, for which the WEF has published guidelines on its platform. A disclaimer at the end of each article on this platform reads: "The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum."

This article and podcast discuss the U.N.'s response to COVID-19 disinformation and emphasize the crucial role played by the "Verified" initiative in providing reliable information during the COVID-19 crisis. In the podcast, Fleming mentions recruiting 110,000 information volunteers rather than "information warriors." She explains that the volunteers are equipped with knowledge about how misinformation spreads and serve as "digital first responders" in spaces where false information circulates.

A U.N. press release on May 21, 2020, features consolidated statements from Fleming made during the launch of the "Verified" campaign. According to Fleming, Verified is a United Nations initiative that calls on people around the world to become “information volunteers” and share UN-verified, science-based sources for the benefit of their communities. Fleming mentions that these dedicated "information volunteers" would receive verified content daily, carefully designed for effortless sharing on social platforms. “Information volunteers” are those who are willing to help spread trusted content.

Africa Renewal, a United Nations digital magazine, reports that Verified, led by the U.N. Department of Global Communications, aims to combat COVID-19 misinformation by amplifying the dissemination of trusted, accurate information and expanding its reach.

Logically Facts has reached out to Fleming, the U.N., and the Verified project for comment. This story will be updated if and when we receive a response.

The Verdict

Klaus Schwab and the WEF have not employed "information warriors.'' The reference to recruiting 110,000 information volunteers made by U.N. Communications Director Melissa Fleming pertains to the U.N.'s "Verified" initiative, launched in 2020, to combat COVID-19 misinformation. It is a U.N. initiative and has no link to the WEF. Conspiracy theories alleging the existence of covert agendas and undisclosed schemes by the WEF and Schwab are frequently shared on social media. The article in question deliberately distorts the facts, and as a result, we have marked this claim as false.