In late June 2023, headlines appeared about a far-right activist named Taylor Taranto who had been arrested for apparently casing the neighborhood of former United States President Barack Obama after broadcasting a series of escalating threats: Taylor
Publication: disinformation
Truth or Fiction?→ Federal Judge’s Ruling ‘Limits’ Biden Administration’s Contact with Social Media
On July 4 2023, a post to Reddit’s r/politics suggested that a federal judge had blocked the Biden administration from “communicating with social media companies”: Federal judge blocks Biden administration officials from co
Truth or Fiction?→ The New York Times’ ‘Ways You Can Still Cancel’ Student Loan Debt
After the Supreme Court’s June 30 2023 ruling blocking the Biden administration’s student debt forgiveness program, screenshots of a New York Times article about “ways you can still cancel your student debt” were shared to Tw
Truth or Fiction?→ Right-Wing Media Pushes Claims of Ukrainian ‘Baby Factories’
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continued through 2023, so did attempts by right-wing bloggers and broadcasters on the fringe to generate and promulgate ghoulish allegations against Ukrainians. One recent example is the claim that Russian troops dis
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Memento Homo’ and Untrustworthy Google Results
On June 26 2023, Google took another turn toward actively disinforming readers when the search engine propagated a joke tweet by Twitter account @WeirdMedieval as a legitimate translation: crying bc google is propagating my fake news pic.twitter.c
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Yevgeniy Prigozhin’ is ‘Under a Felony Indictment in the US’
After a June 2023 Wagner Group “rebellion” in Russia, the evolving story took yet another turn after its purported leader, Yevgeniy Prigozhin was identified as being under “felony indictment” and “wanted” by the U.S
Truth or Fiction?→ NASA ‘Internet Apocalypse’ Outage Rumors, Explained
In June 2023, rumors that the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) warned of an “internet apocalypse” spread virally on platforms like TikTok and Reddit: What’s going on with NASA saying we could lose i
Truth or Fiction?→ British Media Further Spreads Myth About ‘Students Identifying as Cats’
A popular right-wing disinformation trope from the United States targeting LGBTQ teenagers has been re-laundered into political circles in the UK — and all based on a purportedly recorded argument. As the progressive Byline Times and other UK out
Truth or Fiction?→ Researchers: Nazi-Quoting ‘Moms’ Have Forged Ties to Other Right-Wing Groups
As the right-wing group “Moms for Liberty” was caught quoting Adolf Hitler in its material in June 2023, it was also revealed as both an ally to other far-right extremists and a major player in anti-government efforts targeting Black and LG
Truth or Fiction?→ A Moms For Liberty Chapter Quoted Hitler in Newsletter
On June 22 2023, claims that a chapter of far-right group Moms for Liberty in Hamilton County, Indiana had apologized “quoting Adolf Hitler” circulated on social media: Remember when members of the Republican Party went on a 3-day ran
Truth or Fiction?→ Experts Warn: ‘Freedom Convoy’ Supporters Now Pushing Anti-LGBTQ Movement
In what should by now be a familiar shift, supporters of the right-wing “Freedom Convoy” have moved on to pushing anti-LGBTQ campaigns, according to Canadian experts. “In terms of the organizers and the people who had the loudest voic
Truth or Fiction?→ Fake Twitter Account @OceanGateExpeds Suspended After Spreading OceanGate Disinformation
As efforts to locate a “missing submersible” operated by OceanGate Expeditions continued on June 21 2023, the Twitter account @OceanGateExpeds published several viral tweets. The account was eventually suspended, but not before putting out
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Kentucky Cutting Polling Places’
On June 20 2023, an Imgur account shared a screenshot of a tweet about “Kentucky polling places,” specifically about a purported closure ahead of “Tuesday’s” primary: Voter disenchantment An image attached to the tweet
Truth or Fiction?→ Meta’s Zuckerberg Claims ‘Establishment’ Pushed for Censorship on COVID-19 Disinformation
Facebook owner Mark Zuckerberg claimed that a nebulous “establishment” mistakenly pushed for his platform to censor information regarding COVID-19 because they thought it was disinformation. While discussing issues concerning moderation wit
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Homosexuals Are Overrepresented …’
On June 13 2023 — amid a hugely weaponized disinformation narrative about queer and trans people timed to correspond with Pride Month — an iFunny commenter responded to a Pride flag-related post with a claim: “Despite being 2 percent
Truth or Fiction?→ ZipRecruiter ‘Crisis Actors Needed in Miami’
On June 12 2023, a screenshot of a tweet about a ZipRecruiter “crisis actors” job listing for Miami, Florida was shared to r/WhitePeopleTwitter: Be careful out there folks by u/greentreefer in WhitePeopleTwitter
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘We’re Not After Children, We Just Want to Live Our Lives’ Doctored Pride Image
On June 9 2023, a Twitter user shared a screenshot of a tweet featuring a purported photograph of a man wearing a “trans kids are sexy” shirt at an unspecified Pride event: That screenshot was shared as a response to a user objecting to ch
Truth or Fiction?→ The Amanda Gorman Banned Book Controversy, Explained
On June 7 2023, amid right-wing book-banning attempts sweeping the United States, poet and author Amanda Gorman addressed the banning of her own book The Hill We Climb at a Florida elementary school. Her book was part of a longrunning controversy about
Truth or Fiction?→ In a Friday News Dump, YouTube Announces Election Disinformation Policy Changes
On June 2 2023, a Reddit user shared a post claiming that YouTube altered a policy and was no longer restricting false claims about the 2020 election in the United States: YouTube changes policy to allow false claims about past US presidenti
Truth or Fiction?→ AOC Parody Account on Twitter Aims to Confuse
On May 30 2023, screenshots appeared of a tweet by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York), about a verified “parody account” targeting her: FYI there’s a fake account on here impersonating me and going viral. The Twitter CEO has e
Truth or Fiction?→ Ashley Babbitt Fundraiser Controversy
On May 29 2023, an Imgur account shared a screenshot of a tweet by Ron Filipkowski, claiming that the “guy who set up the Ashli Babbitt fund reportedly stole all the money”: The guy who set up the Ashli Babbitt fund reportedly stole all t
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Eugenicist Victim Blaming’: Disability Experts Criticize Story Painting COVID-19 as Near ‘Endemic’
A San Francisco television station’s story about an “endemic” phase to the COVID-19 pandemic alarmed disability experts and advocates. The story, aired by KGO-TV on May 22 2023, features Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine an
Truth or Fiction?→ Target Caves to Weaponized Narratives, ‘Pulls’ Pride Items
On May 24 2023, Target issued a statement regarding Pride Month in 2023, disclosing a controversial decision to change course in response to purported violent threats against its employees: Target Statement on 2023 Pride Collection For more than a deca
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Only 11 People’ Responsible for Majority of ‘Book Ban’ Requests?
On May 23 2023, several social media posts popped up with the jarring claim that a majority of book removal or book ban requests in American schools were an effort by the same eleven individuals: This is what white minority rule looks like.https://t.
Truth or Fiction?→ Ann Coulter NAACP Tweet
On May 2023, a Reddit user shared an image to r/WhitePeopleTwitter, which was purportedly a screengrab of a tweet in which right-wing pundit Ann Coulter referenced a NAACP travel warning issued for Florida: The GOP needs to piss off by
Truth or Fiction?→ Rashid Buttar of the ‘Disinformation Dozen’ Reportedly Dies
On May 20 2023 social media rumors began circulating, claiming that health disinformation purveyor Rashid Buttar had died: Rashid Buttar, one of the Disinformation Dozen, Dies Suddenly – Nuts Blame the Covid Jab Even Though he was Unva
Truth or Fiction?→ Rep. Jack Kimble: ‘A Whopping 25% of American Students Are in the Bottom …’
On May 21 2023, a Reddit user shared a screenshot of a tweet about American students attributed to a “Rep. Jack Kimble” to the subreddit r/technicallythetruth: Can’t decide if this is satire by u/ShubhamG77 in tec
Truth or Fiction?→ Anti-Immigrant Claims Involving Homeless ‘Veterans’ Fall Apart
A group of homeless men in New York state were tricked into posing as veterans for the purposes of spreading a story shaming asylum seekers, the Mid-Hudson News reported on May 19 2023. “It was brought to my attention that two people came to the
Truth or Fiction?→ Was ‘Citi Bike Karen’ Right All Along, as Evidenced by a Receipt?
On May 19 2023, a highly popular Reddit post to r/facepalm was a confident assertion that “Citi Bike Karen” (a New York City nurse named Sarah Comrie) had been “right all along”: "Bike Karen" Was Right Aft
Truth or Fiction?→ Republican Senator Weighs in on Democracy: ‘Let’s Don’t Have Elections Anymore’
On May 16 2023 a Reddit account on r/WhitePeopleTwitter shared a Twitter screenshot which indicated that Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) stated that Americans shouldn’t “have elections any more” during an appearance on Newsmax:
Truth or Fiction?→ Ron DeSantis and the ‘Let Them Die Act’
On May 15 2023, an Imgur account shared a recent tweet by Alejandra Caraballo (@Esqueer_) describing purported legislation in Florida as the “Let Them Die Act”: Ron DeSantis just signed the "Let Them Die Act" which allows medic
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘It’s Just Disgusting’: E. Jean Carroll Considering Suing Trump Again After CNN ‘Town Hall’
Author and veteran journalist E. Jean Carroll said she is considering filing a new defamation suit against disgraced former U.S. President Donald Trump in the wake of a heavily-criticized “town hall” broadcast on CNN. “Everything̵
Truth or Fiction?→ Eric Adams Keeps Spreading Disinformation About ‘Fentanyl-Laced Cannabis’
Despite evidence to the contrary, New York City mayor Eric Adams (D) has continued using public speaking appearances to push the idea that children are buying marijuana laced with fentanyl. In the most recent example, journalist Rebecca C. Lewis of Cit
Truth or Fiction?→ The ‘TikTok Benadryl Challenge’
On April 17 2023, a viral tweet about a deadly “Benadryl challenge” spreading on TikTok claimed that a boy in Ohio died after participating in it: 13-year-old dead after trying deadly TikTok “Benadryl challenge” The challenge is where
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Angry Mob of Antifa’: Robocall Attacks ‘Tennessee Three’ with Regurgitated Smears
A “robocall” circulating in Tennessee is spreading false accusations about the trio of Democratic state lawmakers dubbed the “Tennessee Three” in the wake of their being targeted by their Republican counterparts for expulsion fr
Truth or Fiction?→ Retracted COVID-19 Vaccine Study Was Funded by Anti-Vaxxer
A Michigan State University economist’s study — which was criticized for claiming that COVID-19 vaccines could be blamed nearly 300,000 deaths — was retracted after the revelation that it was funded by an anti-vaccine former federal o
Truth or Fiction?→ Kid Rock ‘Cool, Daddy Cool’ Lyrics and ‘Grooming’
On April 11 2023m a meme that purportedly quoted lyrics from right-wing pop singer Kid Rock about “underage” girls and “young ladies” was shared to Twitter: pic.twitter.com/TfEhVl1UVp — Constructing Postcapitalism (@CP
Truth or Fiction?→ New Study is Last Call for Disinformation about ‘Healthy’ Moderate Drinking
A new study by Canadian researchers not only sheds corrective light on previous studies on the effects of alcohol — it also pierces through decades of folklore and corporate messaging on the subject. “It’s often been thought that wine
Truth or Fiction?→ Twitter Adds ‘State-Affiliated Media’ Label to NPR
On April 5 2023, a Reddit user shared a screenshot indicating that Twitter had abruptly applied a “state-affiliated media” label to the main feed for the National Public Radio network: I’m very close to deleting Twitter by
Truth or Fiction?→ The Disinformation Panic Around ‘Boycotting’ Dylan Mulvaney and Bud Light
The announcement that trans actress Dylan Mulvaney was working with the Bud Light brand of beers sent right-wing media organizations and bloggers into a transphobic fit — with a predictably ahistorical bent. As the LGBTQ news site Them reported,