Microsoft and Bill Gates have filed a patent numbered 060606 for a microchip which is inserted into the body and which rewards activity with cryptocurrency.
Microsoft's 060606 patent doesn't reference injectable microchips. It is true that Microsoft has a patent application with the numbers 060606 in it, but it's for a system which rewards physical activity with cryptocurrency.
We’ve seen a post online claiming that Bill Gates and Microsoft have a patent, numbered 060606, for a microchip that would be inserted into people’s bodies, and would monitor their activity in return for cryptocurrency. There is a genuine patent Microsoft applied for in 2019, numbered W0/2020/060606. The application does mention technology allowing for people’s activity to be monitored in exchange for cryptocurrency, but there is no mention of implanted chips. The patent application has not yet been granted.
Specifically, the application is for a system whereby tasks are given to users, which, on participation or completion, can be rewarded with cryptocurrencies. Information is collected from a sensor, coupled with or potentially within the user’s device, to determine whether those tasks have been completed.
The patent application describes that user device as potentially being “personal computers, servers, cell phones, tablets, laptops, smart devices (e.g. smart watches or smart televisions.)” It may also be a piece of wearable tech. The sensor is described as either a device in itself or built into the user device.
Correction 1 June 2020
Correction: In a previous version of this post we referred to patent application W0/2020/060606 as a patent. It has not yet been granted, so we have updated our article to reflect that.
This article is part of our work fact checking potentially false pictures, videos and stories on Facebook. You can read more about this—and find out how to report Facebook content—here. For the purposes of that scheme, we’ve rated this claim as partly false because this is a real patent application, but it makes no mention of implanted microchips.
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