Coronavirus 5G Conspiracy Theory

Submission 13,970

Part of a series on COVID-19 Pandemic. [View Related Entries]

For up-to-date information regarding COVID-19 coronavirus, including prevention and treatment, please visit CDC.gov.

About

The Coronavirus 5G Conspiracy Theory refers to unsubstantiated claims that 5G networks cause the novel coronavirus COVID-19. There is no evidence to support the theory and the scientific community has dismissed it.

Origin

While the exact origins of the theory are unknown, posts regarding the theory began appearing in January 2020. On January 25th, 2020, the website RumorMillNews,^[1] a conspiracy theory website, published the article "More Jim Stone: Wuhan is where 5G was rolled out. What if this pandemic is caused by weakened immune systems due to excessive 5g exposure?" In the post, the author "NaturalWisdom" wrote:

VERY INTERESTING: Wuhan is where 5G was rolled out

What if 5g wrecked immune systems and thereby boosted the virulency of the normal cold? One of the main points about 5G was that it would wreck immune systems and make people sick. Silicon vall(e)y does not want it and THE KICKER: People in Wuhan say 5G sucks and that 4G was better.

FIGURE THAT.

Spread

On January 27th, Facebook^[2] Stynes Robert posted a segment of the post in the "Stop 5G U.K." Facebook group. The post received more than 300 shares, 230 reactions and 130 comments in less than three months (shown below).

On January 29th, 2020, the independent fact-checking organization Full Fact^[3] published the article "The Wuhan coronavirus has nothing to do with 5G." They concluded:

Wuhan was one of the first places with 5G trials, as well as several other large Chinese cities, like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou but we don’t know if it was the first.

There is no evidence that 5G can harm humans, or their immune systems.

The new coronavirus observed in Wuhan is a virus in the same family of viruses as the common cold, but is a different illness.

The theory continued to spread throughout the next month, despite it being disproven. On March 10th, Facebook^[4] user Ben Mackie posted about the theory and received more than 2,700 comments, 2,600 shares and 580 reactions in less than one month (shown below).

On March 15th, American singer Keri Hilson tweeted^[9] about the conspiracy theory. Before being deleted, the tweet received more than 6,700 likes (shown below).

On March 18th, 2020, CNET^[5] covered the conspiracy theory and stated:

Russia, which has sown misinformation and influenced the 2016 US presidential election, has included 5G as one of its target areas. Broadcaster RT America, which is funded by the Russian government, a year ago published a report called "5G Wireless: A Dangerous 'Experiment on Humanity'" that sought to create fear about the technology. The New York Times at the time said it was an effort by Russia to slow the US' 5G push.

In the article, Dr. Jonathan M. Samet, a professor at the Colorado School of Public Health, said, "This story about 5G has no credence scientifically and is certainly a potential distraction, as is other such misinformation, from controlling the COVID-19 epidemic."

Several media outlets covered the conspiracy theory, including USA Today,^[6] Newsweek,^[7] The Guardian^[8] and more.