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Centre for global population reduction? No, Gates foundation entrance sign photoshopped

Disclosure: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is one of Africa Check’s funders, providing 11% of our income in 2019.

As countries respond to the coronavirus crisis, false information about the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has spread online.

The foundation was established by US tech billionaire Bill Gates and his wife Melinda. Its website says it works to “reduce the burden of infectious disease and the leading causes of child mortality in developing countries”, improve the “delivery of high-impact health products and services to the world’s poorest communities” and help countries “expand access to health coverage”.

The organisation’s headquarters are in Seattle, the major city in the US state of Washington.

An image posted on Facebook and WhatsApp shows the sign at the entrance to the foundation’s building at 500 5th Ave N in Seattle.

Above the words “Bill & Melinda Gates  Foundation”, the sign reads “Centre for Global Human Population Reduction”.

Is the image legit?



Google Street View


A quick search for the address 500 5th Ave N in Seattle on Google Maps reveals that the image has been manipulated. In Street View mode, the entrance sign only displays the words “Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation”.

The image has been photoshopped to add the words “Center For Human Global Population Reduction”. – Africa Check




 

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