Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, has publicly addressed the persistent conspiracy theory alleging that he is secretly inserting microchips into COVID-19 vaccines. Gates has expressed his astonishment at this theory, stating during a CNET interview, “I really don’t need to track you in particular.” He further addressed the misinformation on X (formerly Twitter) in 2022, stating, “Some of it like me putting chips in arms doesn’t make sense to me — why would I want to do that?”
Another common conspiracy theory revolves around Gates’ extensive farmland purchases. Gates owns approximately 275,000 acres of farmland, making him the largest private farmland owner in the United States. However, he clarified during a Reddit Ask Me Anything session that this constitutes less than 1/4000 of the total farmland in the country. He emphasized that his investment aims to increase productivity and create jobs, stating, “There isn’t some grand scheme involved — in fact all these decisions are made by a professional investment team.”
The circulation of these conspiracy theories surrounding Gates and the COVID-19 vaccine has fueled misinformation and eroded public trust in the vaccine. Gates’ direct responses to these theories play a crucial role in debunking them and restoring public faith in the vaccine. His investments in farmland further highlight his commitment to job creation and economic contribution.
While Gates has faced criticism and skepticism regarding these theories, he has developed a humorous outlook on the matter, telling the BBC, “When people say that I want to track everyone — why do I want to track everyone?” This humorous approach further underscores the baselessness of the conspiracy theories.
