Original article (in Albanian) was published on 06/12/2023
Social media users are claiming that Klaus Schwab, the CEO of the Global Economic Forum, has planned a major cyber-attack to cause global disruption. However, these allegations are based on a misleading video clip, leading many to fall prey to this deception.
The video in question, widely shared across social media platforms, suggests that Klaus Schwab, the Executive Director of the World Economic Forum, is planning a significant cyber-attack. This speculation gained traction with a post published on January 12th, featuring a brief clip of Schwab. The post reads “Klaus Schwab is literally telling us what will happen next.”
The same day, it spread to Twitter and Instagram with the following captions:
‘These individuals need to be arrested and judged in international courts of crimes. #klausschwab #WEF #worldeconomicforum’
This narrative continued to circulate well into the year. On November 11th, a Facebook user in Albania wrote:
Do not say you were not warned about what will happen to our personal data, and do not say that this guy didn’t know; he is the ‘strategist’ behind the organization of everything against humanity (the visible player)’
Faktoje’s fact-checking efforts have revealed that a claim spreading rapidly on social media since early 2023 is actually a misinterpreted message intended to alert the world about the dangers posed by cybercriminals.
Contrary to the allegations of plotting a malicious scheme, the Chief of the World Economic Forum, in the full, unedited version of the video, is actually emphasizing the importance of taking cybersecurity seriously. He warns about the potential consequences if global cybersecurity measures are not adequately enforced.
Within this context, the founder of the WEF discusses the concept of cybersecurity as a ‘global public good.’
Schwab’s words are a call to action for global businesses and organizations to take cyber criminals seriously and enhance cybersecurity measures. He says:
‘We all know, but still, we pay insufficient attention to the alarming scenario of a comprehensive cyber-attack that would completely shut power supply down and even transportation, hospital services, and our society as a whole. In this aspect, the COVID-19 crisis would be seen as a minor concern compared to a major cyber-attack.’
To hear Schwab’s comments in full, you can follow the provided link.