The Global Disinformation Index (GDI) and establishment outlets such as the New York Times and the Washington Post have spread “disinformation” by attacking Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) for spreading the increasingly credible theory that the coronavirus pandemic originated from a virology lab in Wuhan, China.
Cotton suggested in February 2020 that a virology lab in Wuhan, China, may have been the origin of the coronavirus pandemic.
Now, The Department of Energy (DOE) as well as FBI Director Christopher Wray have said that the most likely origin of the coronavirus pandemic was a lab leak in Wuhan, China.
While Cotton merely suggested that the coronavirus pandemic may have come from China, establishment outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post, and the Global Disinformation Index quickly slammed the senator for spreading conspiracy theories.
In February 2020, GDI used Cotton’s suggestion that the coronavirus pandemic started in China as part of a disinformation campaign:
“Senator Tom Cotton Repeats Fringe Theory of Coronavirus Origins,” the Times wrote. The Times also wrote that Cotton was adding to the “infodemic.”
“Tom Cotton keeps repeating a coronavirus conspiracy theory that was already debunked,” the Post claimed. The outlet updated its piece later but still referred to the theory as “fringe.”
Apoorva Mandavilli, a New York Times science reporter that focused largely on the coronavirus pandemic, wrote, “Someday we will stop talking about the lab leak theory and maybe even admit its racist roots. But alas, that day is not today.”
The Global Disinformation Index labeled the Washington Post and the New York Times as two of the top ten outlets that were least likely to spread disinformation. GDI has a tool, known as the Dynamic Exclusion List, that is used to blacklist conservative media outlets, thus choking off their advertising revenue.
GDI often targets conservative outlets for pursuing “adversarial narratives,” which may not necessarily be false, but the premise is based on targeting an individual or group. In this case, the Times and the Post targeted Sen. Cotton for merely suggesting that the coronavirus pandemic may have come from China.
A Cotton spokesman told Breitbart News, “The Global Disinformation Index has proven itself to be a primary source of disinformation. Yikes!”
Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.