AAP FACTCHECK – Global leaders have not agreed to introduce laws that mean individuals will no longer have the right to live beyond a government-mandated age, despite claims being made on social media.
The claim appears to have originated in an article published by The People’s Voice, a website AAP FactCheck has debunked numerous times.
A December 11 Facebook post is captioned with the headline of the article: “World Leaders Sign WEF Treaty Introducing ‘Age of Death’ Laws in West.”
The post continues: “Under this new system, individuals will no longer have the right to live beyond a government-mandated age – let’s say 70 years old, for example – without first obtaining state approval.
“If you’re deemed unworthy by a death panel, it’s straight to the ‘suicide pod’ for you.”
Several other Facebook posts have shared the article.
The World Economic Forum (WEF), a non-government organisation and think tank, is frequently the subject of disinformation.
The People’s Voice article provides no evidence to support the claim, instead referencing an anonymous whistleblower “embedded” in the organisation.
“… the Age of Death laws are being negotiated as we speak,” it reads, “with most Western countries already signalling they will sign the agreement to vastly reduce their elderly populations.”
There is no evidence the WEF has made such a proposal.
A search of the phrase “Age of Death” on its website returned no relevant results.
On the contrary, in January 2024 the organisation published a report outlining six “longevity economy principles” to fund longer lives as the global population ages.
It proposed providing universal financial education and prioritising healthy ageing as ways to ensure financial resilience.
A spokesman for the WEF confirmed to AAP FactCheck the claim is false.
“These allegations are baseless and unfounded,” he said.
“Like many high-profile organisations or individuals, the World Economic Forum has been the target of conspiracy theories.
“We encourage grounded, fact-based debate as a core principle of our work and are dedicated to our mission of improving the state of the world through collaboration and dialogue.”
The Verdict
False – The claim is inaccurate.
AAP FactCheck is an accredited member of the International Fact-Checking Network. To keep up with our latest fact checks, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
All information, text and images included on the AAP Websites is for personal use only and may not be re-written, copied, re-sold or re-distributed, framed, linked, shared onto social media or otherwise used whether for compensation of any kind or not, unless you have the prior written permission of AAP. For more information, please refer to our standard terms and conditions.
