By Kate Kelland<\/p>\n
LONDON (Reuters) – Microsoft co-founder turned philanthropist Bill Gates says he has been taken aback by the volume of \u201ccrazy\u201d and \u201cevil\u201d conspiracy theories about him spreading on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic, but said on Wednesday he would like to explore what is behind them.<\/p>\n
In an interview with Reuters, Gates said the millions of online posts and \u201ccrazy conspiracy theories\u201d about him and about top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci had likely taken hold in part because of the combination of a frightening viral pandemic and the rise of social media.<\/p>\n
\u201cNobody would have predicted that I and Dr. Fauci would be so prominent in these really evil theories,\u201d Gates said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very surprised by that. I hope it goes away.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gates, a billionaire who stepped down as chairman of Microsoft Corp in 2014, has through his philanthropic Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation committed at least $1.75 billion to the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic. That includes support for some makers of vaccines, diagnostics and potential treatments.<\/p>\n
Since the pandemic began a year ago, millions of conspiracies have spread over the Internet, fuelling misinformation about the coronavirus, its origins and the motives of those working to fight it.<\/p>\n
They include claims that Fauci and Gates created the pandemic to try and control people, that they want to profit from the virus\u2019 spread, and that they want to use vaccines to insert trackable microchips into people.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut do people really believe that stuff?,\u201d Gates asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re really going to have to get educated about this over the next year and understand .. how does it change peoples\u2019 behaviour and how should we have minimized this?\u201d<\/p>\n
EXCITED ABOUT BIDEN
\nGates praised Fauci and Francis Collins, head of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, as \u201csmart\u201d and \u201cwonderful people\u201d, and said he looked forward to seeing them able to work effectively and speak the truth under the new administration of President Joe Biden.<\/p>\n
During former President Donald Trump\u2019s handling of the pandemic, Gates said, it had \u201csometimes felt like they were the only sane people in the U.S. government.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m excited about the team that Biden has picked\u201d to tackle the health crisis, Gates said.<\/p>\n
Gates said he was also pleased that under Biden, the United States has rejoined the World Health Organization, and \u201cthat he\u2019s appointed smart people, and the fact that Dr. Fauci won\u2019t be suppressed.\u201d<\/p>\n