Bill Gates

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[[File:Bill_Gates_2018.jpg|right|thumb|165px|Bill Gates, opening the Gates to genocide in 2018.]]
{{conspiracy}}[[File:BillGatesChip.jpeg|200px|thumb]]{{cquote|If you show people the problems and you show people the solutions they will be moved to act.|||Gates, being [[deepity]]<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4648003.stm Net fuels Live 8 extravaganza] (4 July, 2005, 10:06 GMT 11:06 UK) ''BBC''.</ref>}}
'''William Henry Gates III''' {{lived|1955}} is a software developer, business leader, investor, and [[philanthropist]],<ref group=note>While Gates has undeniably done great non-profit work in many fields, some have argued that his philanthropy benefits him monetarily or contradicts his investments in big companies, leading many to refer to him as a "philanthrocapitalist". His donations have sincerely helped save many lives, but sometimes also filled his own pocket. There is heated debate on these topics; however, this [[RationalWiki]] page only lists and debunks some of the more conspiratorial views targeted at Gates. You are free to talk about it in the talk page.</ref> best known for being the co-founder of [[Microsoft]], ranked by Forbes as the wealthiest man in the world from 1995 to 2010 and 2013 to 2017,<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Gates#Wealth_tallies]</ref> and for his philanthropy in sanitation, water availability, polio, and farming. Besides all this, he has often been a target of various population control [[conspiracy theories]].

==Vaccinations==
===His polio vaccine paralysed 496,000 children in India!===
This claim seems to have originated from prominent [[anti-vaxxer]] [[Robert Kennedy, Jr.]], who cites a 2018 study stating that "a total of 640,000 children developed NPAFP in the years 2000–2017, suggesting that there were an additional 491,000 paralyzed children above our expected numbers for children with NPAFP".<ref name=dhlman>[https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/8/1755/htm Correlation between Non-Polio Acute Flaccid Paralysis Rates with Pulse Polio Frequency in India] by Rachana Dhiman et al. (2018) ''International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health'' 15(8):1755. doi:10.3390/ijerph15081755. The study claimed to be proof of paralysed children in India by Bill Gates' polio vaccine.</ref><ref group=note>Where the extra 4,000 came from is unknown. NPAFP stands for '''Non-Polio'' Acute Flaccid Paralysis'.</ref>

This does not directly support the claim, and if Kennedy had cared to go down in the paper a little further, the study debunks his own claim, stating:<ref name=dhlman/>
{{Quotebox|The AFP [Acute {{wpl|Flaccid paralysis}}] surveillance data from India does not provide information about the etiology of NPAFP, and it is tempting to suggest that OPV-related [the vaccine] GBS [See {{wpl|Guillain-Barré syndrome}}] may be the cause for the rise in NPAFP seen across the country.

However, GBS is unlikely to be the sole reason for the increase in NPAFP. GBS, caused by OPV, was usually reported soon after an OPV campaign. Our finding that the NPAFP rate in each year correlated best with the cumulative doses administered over the previous 5 years, suggests that they may not all have been OPV-caused GBS (occurring in 5 days to 6 weeks).}}

See: “[[Correlation does not imply causation]]”.

The study was slammed by critics for having “questionable” inferences, and “should be considered spurious unless proved otherwise by further study and analysis using more rigorous methods”.<ref>[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6339181/ Comment on Dhiman, R. et al. Correlation of Non-Polio Acute Flaccid Paralysis Rate with Pulse Polio Frequency in India. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15, 1755] Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;16(1):13. Published 2018 Dec 21. doi:10.3390/ijerph16010013 PubMed</ref> Some of the “important variables” left ignored in the study that “might have affected the validity of the correlations” are:

{{Quotebox|1.The Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance data that the authors have used include reported cases of the 0–15 year age group and the rates are calculated forthwith. However, the use of Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) in Intensified Pulse Polio Immunization (IPPI) or Pulse Polio campaigns is targeted toward children in the age range of 0–5 years. Hence, correlating the two does not actually answer the hypothesis unless some analytical evidence is provided to show that the AFP rate in the 5–15 year age group is not influencing the results.

2. There is the possibility that the sensitivity of surveillance and, therefore, the number of AFP cases reported depended not only on the broadened case definition, to include even atypical or non-classical AFP cases, but also on the focus and efforts in terms of active case search (ACS) visits by the surveillance officers. It is a reality that due to the transitioning plans, a shifting of focus from polio, and the reduced presence of specialized surveillance system workforce from partner agencies such as WHO, especially in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the number of ACS visits to the reporting and informer units of the AFP reporting network have decreased considerably. This might also be correlated with the non-polio AFP rates in recent years.}}

The authors responded to these criticisms, but noted a few key caveats, including that "it is possible that new neurotropic enteroviruses colonizing the gut may induce paralysis." They also explicitly stated that:<ref>[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30591650/ Reply to Comment on Dhiman, R. et al. Correlation of Non-Polio Acute Flaccid Paralysis Rate with Pulse Polio Frequency in India] by Dhiman R, Prakash SC, Sreenivas V, Puliyel J. in Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15, 1755. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;16(1):63. Published 2018 Dec 27. doi:10.3390/ijerph16010063</ref>

{{Quotebox| We did not say that the NP AFP reported in our paper were cases of vaccine induced paralysis. Non-polio AFP, by its very definition, excludes polio vaccine induced paralysis.}}
Unfortunately, the majority of Kennedy’s [[Sheeple|sheep]] are unable to understand such terminology or have the ability to research any of the claims made by him.

The claim that Gates and polio vaccines are responsible for the rise in AFP, along with related claims, has been debunked by numerous fact checkers.<ref>[https://fullfact.org/online/gates-polio-vaccine/ The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation wasn’t kicked out of India] (30<sup>th</sup> Jun 2020) ''Full Fact''.</ref><ref>[https://www.boomlive.in/world/did-bill-gates-backed-polio-vaccine-paralyse-children-in-india-8204 Did Bill Gates-backed Polio Vaccine Paralyse Children In India?] (22 May 2020 7:53 AM) ''AFP'' via ''BOOM''.</ref><ref>[https://factcheck.afp.com/gates-foundation-targeted-misleading-claims-about-india-polio-vaccine-campaign Gates Foundation targeted with misleading claims about India polio vaccine campaign] (22 July 2020 21:06) ''AFP''</ref><ref>[https://thelogicalindian.com/fact-check/bill-gates-polio-vaccine-covid-19-gates-foundation-21270 Fact Check: Were 496,000 Children In India Paralyzed Between 2000 & 2017 From "Bill Gates Polio Vaccine"?] by Aditi Chattopadhyay (24 May 2020 / Updated: 26 May 2020 7:22 PM) ''The Logical Indian''.</ref><ref name="leadstories">[https://leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2020/04/Fact-Check-496,000-children-in-India-WERE-NOT-paralyzed-from-Bill-Gates-polio-vaccine-from-2000-2017.html Fact Check: 496,000 Children In India Were NOT Paralyzed From 'Bill Gates Polio Vaccine' From 2000-2017] by Wayne Drash (Apr 23, 2020) ''Lead Stories''.</ref><ref>[https://www.indiatoday.in/fact-check/story/conspiracy-theory-bill-gates-backed-polio-vaccine-disabled-kids-1707666-2020-08-04 Fact Check: Conspiracy theory says Bill Gates-backed polio vaccine disabled 47,000 kids] by Chayan Kundu (August 4, 2020. Updated: August 4, 2020 14:08 IST) ''India Today''</ref><ref name="politifact">[https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/apr/23/facebook-posts/anti-vaxxers-spread-conspiracy-about-bill-gates-an/ Anti-vaxxers spread conspiracy about Bill Gates and India’s polio vaccination] by Daniel Funke (April 23, 2020) ''PolitiFact''.</ref> While it is true that the observed incidence of NPAFP cases increased in the late 2000s and has stayed relatively high, this doesn’t mean the polio vaccine was necessarily the cause. The funding of charities boosted polio vaccinations as well as better diagnosis and reach of healthcare. The [[BBC]] reported that monitoring of cases has greatly improved, as well as that polio is not the sole cause of AFP.<ref>{{cite web|title=BBC article on Bill Gates’ polio vaccine|url= https://www.bbc.com/news/health-21207601 |website=bbc.com}}</ref> The Global Polio Eradication Initiative has also reported that acute flaccid paralysis has causes far beyond polio, from Guillain-Barré syndrome to transverse myelitis to snake bite:<ref>[https://www.who.int/immunization/diseases/poliomyelitis/endgame_objective2/oral_polio_vaccine/VAPPandcVDPVFactSheet-Feb2015.pdf The Global Polio Eradication Initiative]</ref> Other countries, including the UK, have also observed increased reports of unexplained AFP.<ref>[https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/acute-flaccid-paralysis-syndrome Information on the reporting, investigation and management of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) and acute flaccid myelitis (AFM).]</ref>

Although the polio vaccine can itself result in cases of vaccine-associated paralytic polio, the rate is low according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).<ref name=who>[https://www.who.int/immunization/diseases/poliomyelitis/endgame_objective2/oral_polio_vaccine/VAPPandcVDPVFactSheet-Feb2015.pdf Vaccine-associated paralytic polio (VAPP) and vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV)] (February 2015) ''World Health Organization''.</ref> Approximately 1 in 2.7 million doses of the oral polio vaccine is associated with paralytic polio.<ref name=who/> Using this figure, as well as WHO's report that 10 billion doses were administered from 2005 to 2015, the expected number of children paralyzed worldwide over that decade is 3,700<ref name="leadstories" /> — still a tragic number, but far from 496,000. In order for this to be a reasonable number, 1.3 trillion doses would need to have been administered in the limited 7 year time.<ref group="note"> Earth's population is currently about 8 billion people.</ref>

The World Health Organization has said oral polio vaccine (OPV) is an extremely safe and effective tool for immunising children against the disease. 

{{Quotebox| In 2013, the World Health Organization received reports of over 100,000 AFP cases worldwide, of which only 404, or less than 0.5%, were confirmed as polio.}}

Since the eradication of polio in [[India]], there have been some scares of tainted vaccines. But data from the WHO show that, between 2000 and 2017, there were 17 cases of vaccine-derived poliovirus.<ref name="politifact" />

===His MenAfriVac paralysed 50 children in Africa!===
This claim originates from [[Candace Owens]], who tweeted: “Bill Gates & @WHO have used African & Indian tribal children to experiment w/ non-FDA approved drug vaccines”<ref>[https://archive.ph/KW0nl Bill Gates & @WHO have used African & Indian tribal children to experiment w/ non-FDA approved drug vaccines.
Both countries raised red flags about the unethical nature of these trials and were ignored. Here is an academic review that everyone should read.] by Candace Owens (10:20 AM - 15 Apr 2020) ''Twitter'' (archived from 15 Apr 2020 23:47:43 UTC).</ref> referring to Bill Gates and the WHO as “vaccine criminals”.

A [[peer-reviewed]] study from ''PMC'' stated:<ref>{{cite web | title= Communication Challenges During the Development and Introduction of a New Meningococcal Vaccine in Africa | url= https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4639482/ | wedsite=ncbi.nlm.nih.gov}}</ref>

{{Quotebox|The campaign, which had started in Gouro on 11 December 2012, was abruptly stopped on December 15 when vaccinated children reportedly fell ill.

The incident prompted a Chadian journalist (subsequently identified as an {{wpl|Idriss Déby}} regime opponent) to post a story on December 22 that described 40 children who had become severely ill (some with paralysis) in Gouro after being vaccinated with MenAfriVac. Within 24 hours the story was reposted by an online national news channel, and a few days later the information made headlines in Chadian print and online media. The story was subsequently picked up by European and US antivaccination activists, who accused MVP and partners of deliberately committing genocide among Africa's poorest and most fragile populations. The story was published on the website of an international news agency 41 days after the publication of the first blog, but was removed within a couple of hours thanks to the swift intervention of MVP communicators.

Chadian authorities invited an international team of clinicians and epidemiologists to investigate the problem. An investigation proceeded; all cases were examined by physicians, who did not find cases of paralysis, and all of the affected individuals recovered without incident. These findings were published in an official report. The episode was determined to be "[[Mass hysteria|mass psychogenic illness]]" — an unusual phenomenon that has been well described, the affected tending to be clusters of young girls with unusual clinical findings that gradually improve}}

To repeat: According to the 2015 evaluation, the incident was a case of "[[Mass hysteria|mass psychogenic illness]]", meaning that the causes were mental or emotional rather than physical. The evaluation found that "all cases were examined by physicians, who did not find cases of paralysis, and all of the affected individuals recovered without incident". The symptoms were triggered in part by “the occurrence of crises among other patients”, and even an unvaccinated child complained of similar illness. Chad’s Ministry of Public Health said the “mass psychogenic phenomenon” was also known as “collective hysteria” or “collective obsessive behaviour”.

The Chad government said of the issue that “all the different medical examinations performed on the patients were normal”.<ref>{{cite web | title= Experts on the event| url= http://www.meningvax.org/files/2ndstatementMoHChad_21Jan2013.pdf}}</ref><ref>[https://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-chad-link-sick-kids-meningitis.html Chad says no link between sick kids and meningitis shot] (22 Jan, 2013) AFP via MedicalXpress</ref> Not only did physicians find no cases of paralysis, but all the children recovered. A Lancet study on meningitis vaccinations in Chad also referred to the Gouro incident: "Coverage in the last phase of the vaccination campaign fell after reports of adverse events after vaccination, concerns that were subsequently shown to be unfounded".<ref>{{cite web | title= Effect of a serogroup A meningococcal conjugate vaccine (PsA–TT) on serogroup A meningococcal meningitis and carriage in Chad: a community study | url= http://www.meningvax.org/files/2ndstatementMoHChad_21Jan2013.pdf}}</ref>

This was fact checked by ''Africa Check'',<ref>[https://africacheck.org/fbcheck/no-50-children-not-paralysed-by-gates-backed-meningitis-vaccine/ No, 50 children not paralysed by ‘Gates-backed’ meningitis vaccine] (01:42 | 26th May 2020) ''AfricaCheck ''</ref> and ''The Dispatch Fact Check''<ref>[https://factcheck.thedispatch.com/p/did-bill-gates-test-unapproved-vaccines Did Bill Gates Test Unapproved Vaccines on Children in Africa?] by Alec Dent (Apr 22 2020) ''The Dispatch Fact Check ''</ref> and was reported on by ''Quillete''<ref>[https://quillette.com/2020/04/20/candace-owens-is-dangerously-misinformed-about-vaccines/ Candace Owens Is Dangerously Misinformed about Vaccine] by Matt Johnson (April 20, 2020) ''Quillete ''</ref> and ''Fogarty International Center''.<ref>[https://www.fic.nih.gov/News/GlobalHealthMatters/may-june-2016/Pages/menafrivac-meningitis-vaccine.aspx MenAfriVac vaccine slashes meningitis cases in Africa] by Karin Zeitvogel (Ma /June 2016 | Volume 15, Issue 3) from Fogarty</ref>

===His tetanus vaccine caused infertility in women!===
{{cquote| Either we are lying or the government is lying. But ask yourself, ‘What reason do the Catholic doctors have for lying?’ The [[Catholic Church]] has been here in [[Kenya]] providing health care and vaccinating for 100 years for longer than Kenya has existed as a country.

Usually we give a series three shots over two to three years, we give it anyone who comes into the clinic with an open wound, men, women or children. If this is intended to inoculate children in the womb, why give it to girls starting at 15 years? You cannot get married till you are 18.||| Dr. Muhame Ngare, Mercy Medical Centre}}

This claim has been debunked by Africa Check<ref>https://africacheck.org/2016/05/25/analysis-why-does-an-old-false-claim-about-tetanus-vaccine-safety-refuse-to-die/</ref> and Snopes,<ref>[https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tetanus-vaccine-sterilization/ Is Tetanus Vaccine Spiked with Sterilization Chemicals?] by David Mikkelson (10 Nov, 2014. Updated:18 April 2018) <i>[[Snopes]]</i></ref> and reported on by Retraction Watch,<ref>https://retractionwatch.com/2018/01/30/second-time-researchers-retract-republish-vaccine-paper/</ref> [[BBC]],<ref>https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29594091</ref> WHO and the [[Washington Post]].

===His PATH vaccine killed seven girls in India!===
:''See the main articles on this topic at Wikipedia: {{wpl|PATH_(global_health_organization)#PATH's_work#Epidemic_diseases#HIV}} and {{wpl|PATH_(global_health_organization)#Controversies}}''
The Gates Foundation helped to fund the Program for Appropriate Technology and Health (PATH) HPV vaccination program, and while the program was suspended following the deaths of seven vaccinated girls, none of these deaths was ultimately found to be related to the vaccine.<ref name="shreyashi">Roy, Shreyashi. [https://www.thequint.com/news/webqoof/india-suing-bill-gates-no-viral-facebook-post-makes-false-claims India Suing Bill Gates? No, Viral Facebook Post Makes False Claims.] ''The Quint''. April 27, 2020.</ref>  Causes of death included suicide by organophosphorus consumption, drowning, malaria, and a snake bite.<ref name="shreyashi" /><ref name="reuterspath">Reuters Staff. [https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-gates-india-idUSKBN22V27F False claim: Bill Gates faces trial in India for testing vaccines on children.] ''Reuters''. May 19, 2020.</ref>

====The Indian government is arresting him for this!====
The Gates Foundation has not been sued by the Indian government over the PATH vaccination program.<ref name="reuterspath" />

===The Italian government is arresting him!===
This claim originated with a May 14, 2020 [[Italian]] parliamentary session<ref name="reutersitaly">Reuters Staff. [https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-italian-government-gates-idUSKBN23229K Fact check: Italian government has not called for Bill Gates arrest.] ''Reuters''. May 26, 2020.</ref> from parliament member Sara Cunial who gave a speech in which she called for the arrest of Gates.<ref name="evon">Evon, Dan. [https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/italy-bill-gates-arrest/ Is Italy Calling for Bill Gates’ Arrest?] ''Snopes''. May 18, 2020.</ref><ref name="czopek">Czopek, Madison. [https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/may/22/blog-posting/italian-government-doesnt-want-arrest-bill-gates/ The Italian government doesn’t want to arrest Bill Gates.] ''PolitiFact''. May 22, 2020.</ref> She also made references to debunked conspiracy theories, that Gates is using vaccines to sterilize women,<ref name="czopek" /> that he is using vaccines to implant microchips,<ref name="evon" /> and that 5G is responsible for spreading disease<ref name="evon" /> including also a fabricated quote from Gates.<ref name="evon" /> Other members of parliament objected during the speech,<ref>Chattopadhyay, Aditi. [https://thelogicalindian.com/fact-check/bill-gates-arrest-vaccine-covid-19-coronavirus-21318 Fact Check: No, Italy Is Not Calling For Bill Gates' Arrest.] ''The Logical Indian''. May 26, 2020.</ref> and the call for an arrest was never endorsed by the Italian government.<ref name="reutersitaly" /> No actions have been made against Gates.<ref>Tlis, Fatima. [https://www.polygraph.info/a/fact-check-covid-russia-bill-gates/30621409.html Boosted by Russia, A Viral Video Falsely Claims Italy Wants Bill Gates Arrested.] ''Polygraph''. May 19, 2020.</ref>

==COVID-19==
{{main|COVID-19 pandemic}}

===Bill Gates predicted this in Event 201!===
Event 201 was an exercise simulating the outbreak of a novel coronavirus, held over 3.5 hours on October 18, 2019.<ref>[https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/event201/about About.] ''Center for Health Security''.</ref><ref name="eventscenario">[https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/event201/scenario.html The Event 201 scenario.] ''Center for Health Security''.</ref> It was hosted by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in partnership with the Gates Foundation and [[World Economic Forum]], and was the third pandemic simulation hosted by the center since 2001.<ref name="brownusatoday">Brown, Matthew. [https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/03/26/fact-check-bill-gates-backed-pandemic-exercise-didnt-predict-covid-19/5081854002/ Fact check: A Bill Gates-backed pandemic simulation in October did not predict COVID-19.] ''USA Today''. March 26, 2020.</ref> While the word "coronavirus" may at first glance elicit alarm, the novel virus considered in the simulation was modeled on SARS,<ref name="eventscenario" /><ref name="brownusatoday" /> and did not closely resemble the COVID-19 virus.<ref name="brownusatoday" />  Coronaviruses are not a monolithic group, and the group includes the viruses responsible for SARS, MERS, and the common cold,<ref name="fullfact201">[https://fullfact.org/health/event-201-coronavirus-pandemic/ Event 201 didn’t predict the Covid-19 pandemic.] ''Full Fact''. April 27, 2020.</ref> in addition to that responsible for COVID-19. Given that coronaviruses have been responsible for multiple outbreaks of severe disease in recent decades, it is not surprising that the Center for Health Security would choose a scenario involving one. This argument is similar to claiming that a school principal was behind the burning of a school since she did a fire drill 6 months before it.

===Bill Gates has put microchips in coronavirus vaccine!===
It was claimed on [[Facebook]] that patent number [[666|060606]] was for a microchip to be inserted into people's bodies.<ref name=fullfact>[https://fullfact.org/online/bill-gates-patent-microchips/ Patent application 060606 does not mention inserting microchips into the body] by Rachael Krishna (28 May 2020) ''Full Fact''.</ref> There was in fact a Microsoft patent application number W0/2020/060606, but it did not mention implanting humans with microchips.<ref name=fullfact/><ref>[https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2020060606 1. WO2020060606 - Cryptocurrency System Using Body Activity Data] ''Patentscope''.</ref><ref>[https://www.metabunk.org/threads/explained-quantum-dots-storing-medical-information-below-the-skin%E2%80%99s-surface.11218/#post-238320 Explained: "Quantum Dots" - Storing medical information below the skin’s surface] (Apr 18, 2020) ''Metabunk''.</ref>

===Bill Gates patented the coronavirus!===
The Gates Foundation does not have a patent for the COVID-19 virus.<ref>Mahadevan, Alex. [https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2020/the-gates-foundation-does-not-have-a-patent-for-the-coronavirus/ The Gates Foundation does not have a patent for the coronavirus.] ''Poynter''. April 24, 2020.</ref><ref>[https://fullfact.org/online/wuhan-virus-patent-gates/ A patent for the coronavirus spreading in Wuhan was not applied for in 2015.] ''Full Fact''. January 27, 2020.</ref>

===Bill Gates doesn’t wear a mask===
{{main|Face masks}}
{{cquote|No, I use a pretty ugly normal mask. I change it every day. Maybe I should get a designer mask or something creative, but I just use this surgical-looking mask.|||Bill Gates<ref>[https://www.wired.com/story/bill-gates-on-covid-most-us-tests-are-completely-garbage/ Bill Gates on Covid: Most US Tests Are ‘Completely Garbage’: The techie-turned-philanthropist on vaccines, Trump, and why social media is “a poisoned chalice.”] by Steven Levy (08.07.2020 07:00 AM) ''Wired''.</ref>}}

==Life==
===Bill Gates isn’t a doctor!===
Bill Gates has become an outspoken figure in the realm of disease epidemics, agriculture,<ref>[https://www.gatesfoundation.org/what-we-do/global-growth-and-opportunity/agricultural-development AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT] | Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation</ref> and sanitation.<ref>[https://www.gatesfoundation.org/what-we-do/global-growth-and-opportunity/water-sanitation-and-hygiene WATER, SANITATION & HYGIENE] | Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation</ref> However, Bill Gates does not have a conventional medical degree, nor does he claim to be a medical expert; he initially pursued a pre-law major in college, but dropped out after two years. Nevertheless, Gates is clever, well read, and used to directing large groups of people, the latter of which is important for his healthcare work. He claims no ability to treat single patients, but he can arrange the delivery of medicines (recommended by doctors) to literally millions of people. [[Donald Trump]] also lacks a scientific degree, but Bill Gates does the opposite of what Trump does: he listens to experts and helps propagate the information they supply, instead of attempting to look smarter than they are and suggesting some very dangerous ideas.  A degree is not required to fund research, donate to charity, or invest in innovation. Due to his accolades, Bill has been awarded several honorary degrees, both medical and legal.

===Bill Gates refused to vaccinate his kids!===
Bill Gates did not refuse to vaccinate his kids.<ref>Dupuy, Beatrice. [https://apnews.com/afs:Content:8873480039 Bill Gates did not refuse to vaccinate his children.] ''AP''. May 6, 2020.</ref><ref>Reuters Staff. [https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-bill-gates-vaccinate-childr/false-claim-bill-gates-refused-to-vaccinate-his-children-idUSKBN22B26Z False claim: Bill Gates refused to vaccinate his children.] ''Reuters''. April 29, 2020.</ref><ref>Ianelli, Vincent. [https://vaxopedia.org/2019/04/08/did-bill-gates-vaccinate-his-own-kids/ Did Bill Gates Vaccinate His Own Kids?] ''Vaxopedia''. April 23, 2019.</ref><ref>[https://africacheck.org/fbcheck/hoax-claim-that-bill-gates-refused-to-vaccinate-his-own-children/ Hoax claim that ‘Bill Gates refused to vaccinate his own children’.] ''Africa Check''. April 11, 2019.</ref>

===Bill Gates travelled to Jeffrey Epstein’s island 17 times!===
{{main|Jeffrey Epstein}}
Bill Gates met Epstein multiple times, including after he had already been convicted for sex crimes,<ref>Flitter, Emily and James B. Stewart. [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/12/business/jeffrey-epstein-bill-gates.html Bill Gates Met With Jeffrey Epstein Many Times, Despite His Past.]  ''The New York Times''. October 12, 2019.</ref> but flight logs indicate that he never travelled to Epstein's island.<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-bill-gates-epstein-island/false-claim-bill-gates-traveled-to-epsteins-island-multiple-times-idUSKBN22R2C4 False claim: Bill Gates traveled to Epstein’s island multiple times.] ''Reuters''.</ref> Bill's ex-wife, Melinda, was not happy that he ever dealt with Epstein in any case, and cited it in a 2022 ''CBS This Morning'' interview as one among "many" factors contributing to their eventual divorce.<ref>Emily Kirkpatrick (March 3, 2022). [https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2022/03/melinda-gates-jeffrey-epstein-led-to-bill-gates-divorce-gayle-king-interview "Melinda Gates Says Bill Gates's Work with “Abhorrent” Jeffrey Epstein Led to Divorce"]. ''Vanity Fair''.</ref>

===Bill Gates stole MS-DOS code from QDOS!===
[[File:Bill Gates mugshot.png|thumb|right|165px|Gates in 1977]]
This is blatantly false,<ref>[https://www.quora.com/Did-Bill-Gates-steal-the-source-code-for-what-would-become-MS-DOS/answer/Ken-Gregg Why it is said that Bill gates stole MS-DOS from Gary Kildall and GUI from Xerox PARC?], [[Quora]]</ref><ref>[https://www.quora.com/Where-would-Bill-Gates-be-if-his-mom-was-not-on-the-board-of-directors-at-IBM-and-Gates-was-not-able-to-purchase-a-ripped-off-version-of-Gary-Kindalls-operating-system/answer/Ken-Gregg Where would Bill Gates be if his mom was not on the board of directors at IBM and Gates was not able to purchase a ripped-off version of Gary Kindall's operating system?], [[Quora]]</ref> and an obvious [[ad hominem]].

{{wpl|Digital Research|DRI's}} lawyer at the time, Gerry Davis, said that the company's forensic researchers found that {{wpl|86-DOS}} infringed on DRI's intellectual property. But DRI never pursued legal action against [[Microsoft]] or {{wpl|IBM}}. Kildall died in 1994, but the rumor that Microsoft copied his creation persisted.

Bill Gates (at Microsoft) sold an operating system to IBM and reaped then-unimaginable rewards, producing speculation as to whether the code was stolen from {{wpl|CP/M}} (QDOS).

Kildall maintained that {{wpl|QDOS}}, and subsequently {{wpl|MS-DOS}}, had been directly copied from CP/M and thus infringed on his [[copyright]]. Davis claimed that forensic experts had proven that MS-DOS had been copied from CP/M, but that in 1981 there was no way to go to court over copyright infringement and get a judgment. The latter claim, at least, was found to be untrue. Just one year earlier, Congress had passed the Computer Software Copyright Act of 1980, which made copyright protection of software explicit. That DRI did not take the battle to court at the time suggests that the accusation was baseless. Microsoft has stated that its hands were clean.

{{wpl|Robert Zeidman}} examined the code in question using a set of tools he developed for detecting copyright violations in software, and in 2012 he published his findings in the pages of {{wpl|IEEE Spectrum}}.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120805025254/https://spectrum.ieee.org/computing/software/did-bill-gates-steal-the-heart-of-dos/0 Did Bill Gates steal the heart of MSDOS?]</ref> He didn't find any evidence that MS-DOS copied code from CP/M (QDOS).<ref>[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262797423_A_Code_Correlation_Comparison_of_the_DOS_and_CPM_Operating_Systems Code Correlation Comparison of the DOS and CP/M Operating Systems] Zeidman, Bob. (2014). Journal of Software Engineering and Applications. 7. 10.4236/jsea.2014.76048.</ref>

How Zeidman did it and the real history behind it is extensively documented on the pages of IEEE Spectrum and the Journal of Software Engineering and Applications.

{{Quotebox|…comparing binary with source code, I found 80 matching identifiers. But with a couple of exceptions, these identifiers were all common words from operating systems and programming or just from the English language. I also found 11 matching strings, but again, these strings were all common words or phrases. And once I filtered the matching elements to eliminate common identifiers found more than 100 times on the Internet, all the matches evaporated…

…Next I compared the MS-DOS 1.11 binary code with CP/M binary code. There was only one matching identifier: “com.” This is a common abbreviation for a communication port like a serial port or printer port, and certainly not a sign of copying. There were also 65 matching strings, but they were all common words or phrases used in many operating systems…

…And that is that. Every lead brought me not to Bill Gates but to a dead end. QDOS was absolutely not copied from CP/M, and MS-DOS showed no signs of copying either. Kildall’s accusations about Bill Gates were totally groundless…}}

{{cquote| Kildall indeed deserves credit for creating the first personal computer operating system, but his operating system didn’t come out of nowhere; it was essentially a simpler version of many other operating systems in use at the time, including Unix, developed in 1969, and VAX/VMS, introduced in 1978. And while Kildall is sometimes remembered as a pauper for “being cheated by Bill Gates,” DRI was actually a successful company for many years, and Kildall sold it to Novell in 1991 for $120 million. Kildall was undeniably very creative and innovative, but he was also a poor businessman who was nonetheless very successful. If he was not as successful as Bill Gates, it wasn’t because Microsoft stole the CP/M source code.|||Robert “Bob” Zeidman}}

There is a $100,000 Prize if you are able to prove that MS-DOS was copied from QDOS.<ref>[https://spectrum.ieee.org/view-from-the-valley/computing/software/100000-prize-if-you-can-find-the-secret-command-in-dos $100,000 Prize If You Can Find This Secret Command in DOS: Expert says system calls, but not source code, were copied from CP/M to MS-DOS. But there's $100,000 if you can prove he's wrong] by Tekla S. Perry (06 Aug 2016 19:00 GMT)</ref>

===Bill Gates Rules For Teens===
[[Urban legend|An often circulated apocryphal story]] purports a list of 11 or more "rules" that Gates supposedly stated during a commencement speech at a high school graduation. Among it contains notions of "Life is not fair. Get used to it.", "The real world won’t care as much about your self-esteem as much as your school does", "Your school may have done away with winners and losers. Life hasn’t.", and the prize "Be nice to nerds. You may end up working for them." This is often popular among conservatives who frequently complain about young people, [[political correctness]], participation trophies and the like.

The problem is that '''''Gates never said any of it.''''' The actual source of the list is the 1996 book ''Dumbing Down Our Kids: Why American Children Feel Good About Themselves But Can’t Read, Write, Or Add.'' by conservative author Charles J. Sykes. While the list was originally circulated from his book, someone along the line decided to attach Gates name to it figuring that the list would be [[Argument from authority|more profound if it were to come from someone as incredibly successful as Gates]], as opposed to some cranky writer that few people have heard of.<ref>[https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/some-rules-kids-wont-learn-in-school/ Some Rules Kids Won’t Learn in School]''Snopes''</ref>

===Bill Gates made a deal with the devil!===
[[File:Hall of Tortured Souls.jpg|thumb|200px|right|So this must be why Bill is so filthy rich.]]
A chain email in the 90s to the 2000s branded Gates as the [[Antichrist]] or at least having sold his soul to the devil, with the phrase "BILL GATES III" in ASCII spuriously [[numerology|calculated]] to equate to [[666]];<ref>[https://www.httpjoke.com/cpu.html httpjoke - Internet E-Mail Computer Humor]</ref> while the ASCII code for "BILL GATES" does add up, it all falls through with the "III" part, as the code for the uppercase I is 73.<ref>[https://www.ascii-code.com/ ASCII Code - The extended ASCII table]</ref><ref>[https://www.truthorfiction.com/billgates-hm/ Hidden code in Microsoft Windows says Bill Gates is the Anti-Christ-Fiction!]</ref> The emails also went on to claim that the ''{{wpl|List of Easter eggs in Microsoft products|Hall of Tortured Souls}}'' Easter egg hidden in Microsoft Excel 95 was developed with sinister intent for Gates to control the world, and its creepy aesthetic fuelled speculation over Gates' supposed satanic connections.<ref>[https://www.thegamer.com/15-gaming-urban-legends-that-will-keep-you-up-at-night/ Gaming Urban Legends That Will Keep You Up At Night]</ref> However, the Excel minigame was merely written as a fun little bonus by the developers in their spare time as a hidden credits screen with the names and portraits of those who worked on Excel 95, also serving as a homage to the first-person shooter ''{{wpl|Doom (1993 video game)|Doom}}'', a game which ''does'' contain overtly satanic themes. Ironically enough, Gates himself appeared in a promotional video for ''Doom 95'' which was shown to attendees at a 1995 Microsoft convention, where he discussed about Windows 95 and DirectX's advantages over developing video games in MS-DOS, the Windows 95 port of ''Doom'' being the flagship title.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN0K58EfJSg Bill Gates Doom]</ref>

While the email was an obvious shitpost (not unlike the similarly-structured 666 hoax involving the much-reviled children's character ''{{wpl|Barney the Dinosaur}}''), the antichrist speculation regarding Bill Gates even went to the point where some news outlets such as {{wpl|ABS-CBN}} in the Philippines aired sensationalised articles such as in the paranormal [[schlockumentary]] ''Verum Est'', which ran a segment discussing Microsoft's supposed satanic connections (besides similar antichrist rumours against the late Pope [[John Paul II]]).<ref name="hall">Velasquez, Tony. [https://youtu.be/35WlpV07axg?t=789 Kampon ng Kadiliman] ''Verum Est! Totoo Ba ito?''. ABS-CBN News. Retrieved 28 July 2022</ref>
{{blockquote|According to interpretations by some, the Antichrist is said to be Bill Gates, the inventor of computer software. It is said that Windows 95 contained secret number codes, which if calculated would show the title 'Hall of Tortured Souls'. And since computers are used to control nuclear arsenals, security systems, Internet, and stores throughout the world, it is said that Gates wields immense power, and he can lead the destruction of the world.

- Tony Velasquez, ''Verum Est''<ref name="hall"/>}}
Most viewers unsurprisingly drank ABS-CBN's [[Kool-Aid]] and took to the anti-Gates crap as gospel, apparently unable to pick up a litany of factual errors and outright lies the show peddled. Gates was ''far from the "inventor of computer software"''–not by a long shot, though to be fair his prominence in the computer industry [[Great man theory|made him a poster child]] and is therefore easily misattributed by the uninformed; he did programming work since his teens for one, but one of the few pieces of commercial software credited to him was {{wpl|DONKEY.BAS}}, a rudimentary driving game written in {{wpl|BASIC}} as a demo that came with the original IBM PC, on top of him co-developing {{wpl|Altair BASIC}}. The "Hall of Tortured Souls" title refers to the Excel minigame, and is not part of the antichrist calculation. And even without any reverse engineering involved, it is clear that Excel or any other Microsoft software would NOT contain any code that somehow taps into computer systems and takes control of them unless modified or explicitly found to do so, e.g. the controversial data collection scheme in Windows 10 and later (which can be neutered if not completely disabled anyway), and the more recent [[AI]]-powered Copilot feature in Windows 11. ABS-CBN later [[Hypocrite|ran ads]] for Microsoft some years after they aired said fake news reports which arguably served more to boost their ratings through sheer gossip than anything factual.{{cn}}<!-- There may be people in the Philippines who have videotaped footage from either or both programmes tho -->

This isn't the only incident that Bill had been spuriously associated with the Vatican, however: a widely circulated email shitpost also cheekily announced through a faux press release that his company had somehow acquired the Roman Catholic Church for a few billion dollars, with Microsoft using their supposedly acquired assets to aid in developing religious software.<ref name=museum>{{cite web |url=http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/msft.html |first=Alex |last=Boese |title=Microsoft Buys the Catholic Church |work=Museum of Hoaxes |access-date=2010-11-05 |archive-date=2010-10-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101006080424/http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/msft.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Email Hoaxes: Form, Function, Genre Ecology |last=Heyd |first=Theresa |year=2008 |publisher=John Benjamins Publishing Company |location=Amsterdam |isbn=978-90-272-5418-4 |page=4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jUTkPqhvd-wC |access-date=October 30, 2010}}</ref> Despite the blatantly tongue-in-cheek nature of the letter and obvious giveaways as to its nature, many have still [[Poe's Law|fallen for the bait]] and sent angry letters to Microsoft expressing their displeasure with a [[blasphemy|blasphemous]] act that they didn't even commit in the first place.<ref name=museum/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7457191.stm |work=BBC News |title=Timeline: Bill Gates and Microsoft |publisher=BBC |access-date=2010-11-05 |date=2008-06-18 |archive-date=2010-11-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101119085639/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7457191.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[James Corbett]], who promotes Bill Gates conspiracy theories
*[[Steve Jobs]]
*[[Richard Stallman]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gates, Bill}}
[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Billionaires]]
[[Category:Business]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theorist scapegoats]]
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[[Category:Health care]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Categories: Authors, Billionaires, Business, Conspiracy theorist scapegoats, Epsteinsphere, Health care, Living people