Far-right conspiracy theorists began circling in May 2021 around a study “pre-print” they claimed vindicated their refusal to wear face masks to blunt the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study, posted in the journal BioRxiv (pronounced
Publication: anti mask
Truth or Fiction?→ As U.S. Election Looms, Agitprop Floods Social Media Platforms
In the days leading up to the 2020 U.S. presidential election, the disinformation that has been a hallmark of the Trump campaign, then administration, then campaign again reached new heights with political smears, Soviet-style weaponized conspiracy t
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Pennsylvania Lawmaker Release a Statement Mocking the State Health Secretary?
A Pennsylvania state lawmaker came under criticism for attempting to compare the transgender community to people refusing to follow guidelines against spreading the COVID-19 pandemic. A statement from State Rep. Russ Diamond allegedly standing up for
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Teenager Get Pleurisy From Wearing a Face Mask for Work?
On May 31 2020, Facebook user Lena Kovacs shared the following screenshot of a redacted post, in which a person claimed their neeninet-year-old daughter developed pleurisy solely due to her use of a face mask in her job at “a huge grocery store
Truth or Fiction?→ There’s No ‘New Evidence’ Face Masks Pose Health Risks to Healthy People During the COVID-19 Pandemic
On May 18 2020, ScienceTimes.com posted a story with a frightening and shocking headline: “New Evidence Shows Wearing Face Mask Can Help Coronavirus Enter the Brain and Pose More Health Risk, Warn Expert.” The page picked up quite a lot o