{"id":95598,"date":"2021-06-03T20:47:52","date_gmt":"2021-06-03T15:17:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/?p=95598"},"modified":"2021-06-03T21:54:38","modified_gmt":"2021-06-03T16:24:38","slug":"fact-check-are-circuit-boards-with-cov-19-engraving-being-installed-on-5g-towers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/fact-check-are-circuit-boards-with-cov-19-engraving-being-installed-on-5g-towers\/","title":{"rendered":"Fact-check: Are circuit boards with &#8216;COV 19&#8217; engraving being installed on 5G towers?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>A video of a man presenting himself as a telecom engineer and showing equipment labelled &#8216;COV-19&#8217; to be installed in 5G towers is doing the rounds on WhatsApp. The man in the video can be heard claiming that he is erecting 5G masts when everyone is indoors due to lockdowns. Later in the video, he shows a circuit board and points that it has &#8216;COV 19&#8217; imprinted. &#8220;We don&#8217;t crack open these kits because we are explicitly asked not to,&#8221; he says. Alt News received several requests on its official mobile application and WhatsApp number (+917600011160) to fact-check the video.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-95598 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/fact-check-are-circuit-boards-with-cov-19-engraving-being-installed-on-5g-towers\/whatsapp-image-2021-06-03-at-14-38-17-1\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/06\/WhatsApp-Image-2021-06-03-at-14.38.17-1-150x150.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/fact-check-are-circuit-boards-with-cov-19-engraving-being-installed-on-5g-towers\/whatsapp-image-2021-06-03-at-14-38-18\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/06\/WhatsApp-Image-2021-06-03-at-14.38.18-150x150.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/fact-check-are-circuit-boards-with-cov-19-engraving-being-installed-on-5g-towers\/whatsapp-image-2021-06-03-at-14-38-17-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/06\/WhatsApp-Image-2021-06-03-at-14.38.17-2-150x150.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/fact-check-are-circuit-boards-with-cov-19-engraving-being-installed-on-5g-towers\/whatsapp-image-2021-06-03-at-14-38-17\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/06\/WhatsApp-Image-2021-06-03-at-14.38.17-150x150.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"tr\">\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25 5G ve COVID-19 \ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udd25<\/p>\n<p>5G istasyonlar\u0131na yerle\u015ftirilen ve asla a\u00e7may\u0131n denilen kiti a\u00e7an teknisyen anlat\u0131yor. \u0130stasyona yerle\u015fecek elektronik kitin i\u00e7inde<br \/>\nCOV 19 yazan elektronik devre. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3QApd1nB1N\">pic.twitter.com\/3QApd1nB1N<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 mehmet pehlivan (@epehlivan1071) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/epehlivan1071\/status\/1380934808939999233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 10, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The message shared along with the video reads, &#8220;This person is a labourer working on a 5G tower. He had to repair a technical fault on this 5G tower and he was specifically told not to open and see the plate. He went against the order and risked his job. When he opened the plate, he saw a chip of Covid-19 in it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>[Translated from Hindi: &#8220;\u092f\u0939 \u0936\u0916\u094d\u0938 5 G \u091f\u0949\u0935\u0930 \u092a\u0947 \u0915\u093e\u092e \u0915\u0930\u0928\u0947 \u0935\u093e\u0932\u093e \u0932\u0947\u092c\u0930 \u0939\u0948 \u0907\u0938 5 G \u091f\u093e\u0935\u0930 \u092a\u0930 \u091f\u0948\u0915\u094d\u0928\u093f\u0915\u0932 \u0916\u0930\u093e\u092c\u0940 \u092a\u0930 \u0930\u093f\u092a\u0947\u092f\u0930\u093f\u0902\u0917 \u0915\u0930\u0928\u093e \u0925\u093e \u0914\u0930 \u0916\u093e\u0938 \u0924\u094c\u0930 \u092a\u0930 \u092e\u0928\u093e \u0915\u093f\u092f\u093e \u0917\u092f\u093e \u0925\u093e \u090f\u0915 \u092a\u094d\u0932\u0947\u091f \u0915\u094b \u0916\u094b\u0932\u0915\u0930 \u0928\u0939\u0940 \u0926\u0947\u0916\u0928\u093e \u0939\u0948 \u0909\u0938 \u0928\u0947 \u0939\u0941\u0915\u094d\u092e \u0915\u0940 \u0916\u093f\u0932\u093e\u092b \u0935\u0930\u091c\u0940 \u0915\u0940 \u0914\u0930 \u0905\u092a\u0928\u0940 \u0928\u094c\u0915\u0930\u0940 \u0915\u094b \u0926\u093e\u0935 \u092a\u0947 \u0932\u0917\u093e \u0915\u0947 \u0909\u0938 \u092a\u094d\u0932\u0947\u091f \u0915\u094b \u0916\u094b\u0932\u0915\u0930 \u0926\u0947\u0916\u093e \u0924\u094b \u0909\u0938 \u092e\u0947 Covid-19 \u0915\u0940 \u091a\u093f\u092a \u0928\u091c\u0930 \u0906\u0908 \u0909\u0938 \u0938\u0947 \u0938\u093e\u092b \u091c\u093e\u0939\u093f\u0930 \u0939\u094b\u0924\u093e \u0939\u0948 \u0915\u0947 \u0907\u0902\u0938\u093e\u0928\u093f\u092f\u0924 \u0915\u0947 \u0916\u093f\u0932\u093e\u092b \u0915\u0941\u091b \u0928\u093e \u0915\u0941\u091b \u0938\u093e\u091c\u093f\u0936 \u091c\u0930\u0941\u0930 \u091a\u0932 \u0930\u0939\u0940 \u0939\u0948\u0964&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>The video has been circulating since last year.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"rtl\" lang=\"ar\">_<br \/>\n\u0623\u0643\u062a\u0634\u0641 \u0623\u062d\u062f \u0627\u0644\u0641\u0646\u064a\u064a\u0646 \u0644\u0623\u0628\u0631\u0627\u062c 5G<br \/>\n\u0628\u0648\u062c\u0648\u062f \u062c\u0647\u0627\u0632\u0627 \u0625\u0644\u0643\u062a\u0631\u0648\u0646\u064a\u0627 \u0639\u0644\u064a\u0629 \u0623\u0633\u0645 &#8220;COV-19&#8221;<br \/>\n\u0641\u064a \u0644\u0648\u062d\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u062f\u0627\u0626\u0631\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u0625\u0644\u0643\u062a\u0631\u0648\u0646\u064a\u0629 \u0628\u0623\u062d\u062f \u0623\u0639\u0645\u062f\u0629 5G !!<br \/>\n..<br \/>\n+&#8230;.. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/X24mgiX3LZ\">pic.twitter.com\/X24mgiX3LZ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 \u0633\u0644\u0637\u0627\u0646 \u0627\u0644\u0639\u062a\u064a\u0628\u064a (@sultaa999) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sultaa999\/status\/1260996417310674945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 14, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>A few users had also <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/shinsoukyuumei\/status\/1396587383307444226\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">posted<\/a> a screenshot of the circuit board that purportedly says &#8216;COV 19&#8217;.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-95620 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/06\/IMG_20210603_201408.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/06\/IMG_20210603_201408.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/06\/IMG_20210603_201408-188x300.jpg 188w, https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/06\/IMG_20210603_201408-643x1024.jpg 643w, https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/06\/IMG_20210603_201408-768x1223.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/06\/IMG_20210603_201408-964x1536.jpg 964w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/p>\n<h4>Fact-check<\/h4>\n<p>The video was created by documentary maker Heydon Prowse last year in June. The video does not promote a conspiracy theory but shows how easy it is to start one.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">How easy is it to start a conspiracy theory? Posting again. Full vid here: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/RmPi3VU6rq\">https:\/\/t.co\/RmPi3VU6rq<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0s2Qm411mv\">pic.twitter.com\/0s2Qm411mv<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Heydon Prowse (@HeydonProwse) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HeydonProwse\/status\/1281521517164191745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">July 10, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Prowse is the editor-in-chief of Don&#8217;t Panic London, a creative agency specialising in viral content. Don&#8217;t Panic London had uploaded the full video of his experiment on its YouTube channel. The video shows him paste &#8216;COV 19&#8217; on the plate.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to Start a Conspiracy Theory - Heydon Prowse\" width=\"1290\" height=\"726\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/98pY07HaNgs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/uk-factcheck-circuit-board-idUSKBN22R35M\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Reuters<\/a> had published a fact-check report on the video on May 16, 2020. The outlet said that the circuit board featured in the video is an old Virgin Media TV box. In one of the frames in the video towards the end, one can spot the casing of this circuit placed on the bonnet of a van.<\/p>\n<p>A company spokesperson from Virgin Media informed Reuters, &#8220;That is a board from a very old set-top TV box and which never featured any component parts inscribed\/stamped\/printed or otherwise with COV 19. It has absolutely no relation with any mobile network infrastructure, including that used for 5G.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Ireland-based The Journal also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thejournal.ie\/debunked-viral-video-5g-circuit-board-false-covid-19-5116094-Jun2020\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">quoted<\/a> Virgin Media stating that the company &#8220;circuit board looked like a Cisco 4585 HD card which they began distributing to customers around 2011&#8221;.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_95607\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-95607\" style=\"width: 562px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-95607 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/06\/download-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"562\" height=\"1000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/06\/download-2.jpg 562w, https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/06\/download-2-169x300.jpg 169w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 562px) 100vw, 562px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-95607\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: Virgin Media Press office via The Journal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The claim that circuit boards with the engraving &#8216;COV 19&#8217; are getting installed on 5G towers is false. The video was created last year by a London-based documentary maker as an experiment to show how easy it is to promote viral conspiracy theories.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A video of a man presenting himself as a telecom engineer and showing equipment labelled &#8216;COV-19&#8217; to be installed in 5G towers is doing the rounds on WhatsApp. The man in the video can be heard claiming that he is erecting 5G masts when everyone is indoors due to lockdowns. Later in the video, he [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":95611,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"an_content_type":[739],"coauthors":[152],"class_list":["post-95598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-society","fact_checks_claim_type-viral-videos","an_content_type-fact-check"],"blocksy_meta":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/06\/COV-19.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=95598"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95598\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":95625,"href":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95598\/revisions\/95625"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/95611"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=95598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=95598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=95598"},{"taxonomy":"an_content_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/an_content_type?post=95598"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=95598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}