While the world braces for future pandemics, a specter known as “Disease X” has been seized upon by US conspiracy theorists, not as a cautionary emblem, but as a lucrative merchandise tag. The term, coined by the World Health Organization (WHO) to signify a hypothetical future pandemic, has become the latest vehicle for a deeply entrenched cycle of misinformation and profit—leveraging fears to sell so-called ‘medical emergency kits.’
The deliberate misuse of Disease X mirrors the pernicious pattern observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, where misinformation not only sowed doubt about established public health measures but also paved the way for unverified treatments to gain traction. With the memory of COVID-19 still fresh, these conspiracy theories find fertile ground in a public primed for skepticism, further jeopardizing the collective response to actual health emergencies.
Alex Jones, of InfoWars, a site notorious for propagating unfounded conspiracies, has reportedly claimed—sans evidence—that Disease X was a “genocidal kill weapon” in a supposed globalist plan. These unfounded assertions have been parroted and amplified across social media platforms, with posts insidiously leading to the sale of medical kits, which include unproven treatments like ivermectin.
The AFP fact-checkers have traced the proliferation of such misinformation from the United States to Asia, manifesting in multiple languages and spreading rapidly due to decreased content moderation on social networks.
The Wellness Company, linked to Dr. Peter McCullough, a cardiologist known for spreading COVID-19 misinformation, unabashedly urges potential customers to be ready for Disease X, selling kits priced around $300. Similarly, The Gateway Pundit, a platform with a history of promoting conspiracy theories, offers a sponsored message compelling readers to prepare for another purportedly planned pandemic.
Julie Millican of Media Matters highlighted the underlying motive, saying, “Spreading conspiracy theories in order to make money is a grift long established on the right.” Experts like Timothy Caulfield of the University of Alberta note the profound conflict of interest: “Without the evidence-free fearmongering about vaccines and government conspiracies, they’d have little or no income.”
The consequences of such misinformation cannot be overstated. As Jennifer Reich, a sociologist at the University of Colorado Denver, explains, the growing vaccine hesitancy is likely to have “far-reaching” public health effects. The echoes of doubt cast on childhood vaccines and the bolstering of anti-vaccine sentiment portend a rocky road ahead for public health.
“Disinformation can also lead to some segments of the population taking up either ineffective or even harmful measures during an epidemic,” as Chunhuei Chi, professor of global health at Oregon State University, warns. The dilemma is not solely the spread of misinformation but the fact that it goes largely unchallenged due to the scaling back of content moderation teams.
Relevant articles:
– US conspiracy theorists monetize ‘Disease X’ misinformation
– What is Disease X and how conspiracy theorists making money from its misinformation, WION, Mon, 04 Mar 2024 18:38:36 GMT
– Conspiracy theorists are making their money on misinformation linked to “Disease X”., Code List, Mon, 04 Mar 2024 22:57:48 GMT