Just WHO is listening to us these days? From Big Tech to Big Brother, it seems we are surrounded on all sides by those who watch and listen. Like wolves encircling their prey, they gather in hungry groups, waiting to censor anything they see or hear that doesn’t fit the narrative.

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The pack of wolves has gotten larger and their strategies more devious because as of January 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a pilot program called EARS, which stands for EARLY AI-SUPPORTED RESPONSE WITH SOCIAL LISTENING. This new tool will allow “health-decision makers” to “view a real-time analysis of narratives happening on public online forums in multiple countries and languages.”

If you go to the EARS data page you will see the purpose listed which says: “Listening to people’s questions and concerns is an important way for health authorities to learn about what matters to communities in response to COVID-19. This social listening platform aims to show real time information about how people are talking about COVID-19 online, so we can better manage as the infodemic and pandemic evolve.”

The EARS program sounds eerily similar to spying. After all, the definition of spying is:

“To discover or find out by observation and scrutiny, or to secretly collect information.” 

According to the WHO, the EARS program is designed to “better manage the infodemic.” They define an infodemic as “an overabundance of information, including misinformation.”  They explain on their Infodemic Management Conference page that large amounts of misinformation are being spread across the internet. They believe this poses a threat because people may act on “false information” they hear or see. Additionally, they stress the importance of vaccines being accepted by the public. Their goal is to get everyone to “act with fierce urgency in solidarity” in order to fight the pandemic.

There are even videos and training booklets on the WHO website which are designed to provide “infodemic managers” with the skills they need to oversee interventions, as well as teach people to avoid misinformation. They want to help others display “self-protective health behaviors.”

According to the website, the WHO’s Infodemic Management Team “has worked to develop analytical approaches including with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to help identify rising narratives that are catching people’s attention in online conversations.” The WHO says this will enable health authorities to figure out what information people need so they can work to fill that gap. They go on to explain that it’s important to fill information voids because when people do not get the information they need “it can lead to a rise in speculation and conspiracy theories, and that too is an infodemic challenge that can result in harm to people’s health.”

The burning question here is this–who decides what is misinformation? When public debate is squashed, who gets to determine the truth?  Even here in America, doctors are silenced for questioning the “science” and their careers are put in jeopardy for spreading what fact checkers label “disinformation.” In reality, the fact checkers are on the same team as Big Tech and those who want just one narrative to be seen and heard regarding COVID-19. Control of the “infodemic” lies in the hands of those who have no problem seeing the First Amendment trampled upon.

The WHO has made itself the arbiter of truth, yet they have ties that clearly leave them with a conflict of interest when it comes to health, and particularly vaccines. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been a key donor to the WHO over the last decade, providing up to 13% of their budget in previous years. Currently, however, they are the WHO’S number 1 funder, contributing more than any member-state government. In addition, in February 2020, the Gates Foundation pledged 100 million to fight the COVID pandemic and raised that amount to 250 million in April 2020.  This included a staunch commitment to vaccine development and distribution. Gates also provided seed money to launch GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization) whose goal is to “accelerate access of developing countries to vaccines and support research into health solutions.” Not surprisingly, Gates has also invested money in COVID vaccines, owning shares in Pfizer (BioNTech), Curevac and Vir Biotechnology.  When the WHO’s largest funder is a foundation who lives and breathes vaccines, it is obvious what the narrative will be.

In other countries, where certain freedoms may not exist, it’s easier for organizations like the WHO to swoop in and take control of what they deem misinformation. This is similar to what the Nazis did during their reign of power. Even though the German constitution guaranteed freedom of speech, the Nazis went on a rampage to destroy what they called misinformation. By 1934 it was illegal to criticize the Nazi government. Even telling a joke about Adolf Hitler could be considered criminal. The Nazis controlled what information appeared in newspapers, what was heard on the radio, as well as what books the public could read. They even monitored and controlled what German soldiers wrote home about.

On June 11, 2020, the WHO’s Information Network for Epidemics, known as EPI-WIN, hosted a webinar on “artificial intelligence and social listening to inform policy.” They compared the spread of misinformation to a virus. To fight this “infodemic” they say that “a number of organizations have already started to employ novel technologies to listen to citizens and turn opinions expressed online into real time data to inform policy decisions in a timely manner.” In the webinar, various initiatives were discussed, one being the use of a tool developed by Citibeats, known as CivicLytics. This tool would map online discussions by topic across countries, analyzing the perceptions and concerns of citizens regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. They say it provides a “thermometer of public opinion.”

EPI-WIN has the ability to run weekly studies using digital media in order to pinpoint the concerns of people online. “The purpose of this groundbreaking work is to provide the WHO with curated intelligence to fill information voids with solid facts from trusted sources before misleading information becomes viral, causing further damage to communities. The public perception of misleading or false information often coincides with harmful rumor-spreading posts, groups and profiles that are widely spread on social media platforms…Data sets are based around a newly developed public health taxonomy that focuses on four thematic areas: the cause, the illness, the interventions and the treatment.”

It’s obvious that the information voids the WHO is referring to are the very topics and ideas that are being censored around the world. For example, medical treatments that are not part of the approved narrative such as Hydroxychloroquine, Ivermectin, and even vitamin therapies are flagged as misinformation. Anyone who questions the safety or efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine is labeled an “anti-vaxxer.”

The EARS program is designed to target these issues, and currently it’s running an analysis on 41 narratives spanning up to 30 different countries. As time progresses, many languages will be added, as well as more data. Participants can go to the EARS dashboard to find out what the latest trending topics are. This AI tool doesn’t just scour internet platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. It also probes blogs, news articles and online forums. It can even pick up on “context cues” about a person’s true intent within a post, such as whether they are complaining, or simply asking a question. When I recently checked the dashboard, the most popular topic trending was the COVID-19 vaccine.

Just who does the WHO think they are? After all, the WHO is one of four permanent members of the GAVI board (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization). The conflict of interest when it comes to “health and vaccine misinformation” is very clear.  It would stand to reason that any ideas challenging the WHO’s COVID-19 vaccine official narrative would be flagged by the EARS program.

The WHO Director, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated recently at a press conference that vaccine passports should not be required at this time for travel “because of lack of vaccine equity.” He went on to say this, however– “But for the future, when vaccine coverage increases globally, it can be considered.” The WHO continues working with countries around the world by guiding them on how to create a uniform system of documentation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) wants us to hear what THEY have to say. But we know that we are not called to listen to the world because we are not of this world. John 17:16-19 says: They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.  Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth.

Whatever we do, we must seek the Lord for the truth. World leaders cannot provide this for us. We can expect more and more push back as we bring light into the darkness. How can we navigate a world that places a vise on anyone who strays from the accepted narrative?

Well, I can tell you this–Jesus did not follow the accepted narrative. Instead, He followed His Father’s will to the very end. And this is what we must do. We cannot be afraid to speak, share and even shout if we have to.

Prayer Points:

Lord Jesus, please help us to not worry about WHO is listening. Instead, let us be more concerned about pleasing You and speaking the truth. What we say must be pleasing to Your ears.

Father God, remind us WHO we are in You! Help us walk in the authority You’ve given us so that we can be world-changers instead of world-followers.

What do you think about the WHO’s EARS monitoring system? How should Christians respond to this invasive program?

Angela Rodriguez is an author, blogger and homeschooling Mom who studies the historical and biblical connections between Israel and the United States. You can visit her blogs at 67owls.com and 100trumpets.com. Her latest book, Psalm 91: Under the Wings of Jesus, was released in June.

(Photo Credit: Markus Winkler).