As vote-counting carried over into November 4 2020, disinformation about uncalled states spread on social media — such as a claim that poll workers in Arizona distributed Sharpie markers to voters — and that ballots marked in Sharpie were
Publication: disinformation
Truth or Fiction?→ Anonymous ‘US Politics Polls’ Twitter Account Spreading Election Disinformation
An anonymous Twitter account presenting itself as political analysis set itself to spreading disinformation on the last night of the U.S. elections on November 3 2020. The account, which called itself “US Politics Polls,” posted several fa
Truth or Fiction?→ Mysterious ‘Piles of Bricks’ in Chicago on Election Day
Retreads of previously debunked rumors were part of the disinformation attacks that swarmed Election Day 2020 in the United States, and one particular tweet about a mysterious pile of bricks placed in Chicago (archived) inspired significant chatter a
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘You Don’t Have to Be Registered to Vote in Minnesota’
Right-wing talk show host Sean Hannity attempted to gin up a controversy around Democratic Party Rep. Ilhan Omar on November 3 2020 — election day in the United States — by misrepresenting her on social media and on his own website. Hannit
Truth or Fiction?→ Flint Robocalls Purportedly Advised Voters to Avoid Long Lines and ‘Vote Tomorrow’
Election Day 2020 brought with it expectations of widespread, ongoing attempts at voter suppression — and those expectations bore out early and often. One report from Flint, Michigan concerned “robocalls” warning of long lines at
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Joe Biden Say ‘I’m Gonna Take on Those Rapist Mexicans’ During a Rally?
On October 30 2020, TikTok user @camarocuddy shared what appeared to be footage of former U.S. Vice President and Democratic Party presidential candidate Joe Biden saying, “I’m gonna take on those rapist Mexicans”: @camarocuddyJoe
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘We Are the Thin Blue Line’
An attack by Philadelphia police against a Black family that came to light online was distorted and repackaged as pro-law enforcement propaganda (which we have seen referred to as “copaganda”) on various social media platforms by separate
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 Democrats ‘Kill a Bill’ Helping Gold Star Families to Help Immigrants Instead?
A 2019 attack by United States President Donald Trump against Democratic lawmakers in New York state was regurgitated and repurposed online again in 2020 — this time, in order to attack the party on the national level. The issue unfolded in Apri
Truth or Fiction?→ “As Trump Attacks Lesley Stahl, Remember He Said: ‘I Do It to Discredit [and] Demean You All So … No One Will Believe You’”
In late October 2020, just after United States President Donald Trump abruptly walked out of an election with longtime broadcast journalist Lesley Stahl, an older statement of his appeared: As Trump attacks Lesley Stahl now, remember his comments to
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Democrats Tried to Slip a Law Banning Pledge of Allegiance Into Aid Package’
In late October 2020, a number of people on Facebook appeared to share screenshots of what looked like an article headlined, “Democrats Tried to Slip a Law Banning Pledge of Allegiance Into Aid Package”: Spread Out Examples As a matter
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Joe Biden Call Trump ‘George’ During a Live Video?
A tweet from an official for United States President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign highlighted a widespread disinformation campaign that hinged on attempting to manufacture a “gaffe” to pin on Democratic Party presidential nomi
Truth or Fiction?→ Trump ‘It Was a TUCK!’ Tweet
On October 21 2020, Twitter user @TeaPainUSA (and many others) shared the following screenshot, which was purportedly a tweet from United States President Donald Trump on the matter of his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani’s just-revealed interactio
Truth or Fiction?→ Is This a Photo of Trump and His Children With ‘His Pedophile Buddy Jeffrey Epstein’?
On October 20 2020, the Facebook page for “Occupy Democrats” shared the following photograph of a much younger Donald Trump with now-infamous pedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein — alongside a claim it showed Trump bringing his chil
Poynter→ Disinformation or defamation? Attacks against Trump and Biden resemble those seen in other countries
The Cambridge Dictionary is super clear: “defamation is the action of damaging the reputation of a person or group by saying or writing bad things about them that are not true.” This is exactly what we’re seeing on social media and messaging apps
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Dear Neighbor, You Have Been Identified As a Trump Supporter’ Flyers
On October 19 2020, Republican strategist and known disinformation purveyor Matt Schlapp shared the following tweet, claiming that vaguely threatening letters beginning with “Dear neighbor, you have been identified as a Trump supporter” ha
Truth or Fiction?→ Threatening Messages Sent to Democratic Party Voters in Battleground States
In a preview of more organized disinformation campaigns to come in the 2020 U.S. elections and subsequent interregnum period, Democratic Party voters in swing states received threatening emails the week of October 19 2020, ordering them to switch thei
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Asteroid Could Hit Earth’ Clickbait Revived by the New York Post
On October 18 2020, the New York Post published an article with the anxiety-inducing headline, “Neil deGrasse Tyson warns asteroid could hit Earth day before election,” which revived interest in a previously viral rumor of the same descri
Truth or Fiction?→ The Saga of Hunter Biden’s Laptop
On October 14 2020, as increasingly bold or desperate attempts from all corners to sway the November 2020 U.S. elections reached a fever pitch, a story appeared in the New York Post about Hunter Biden, son of Democratic Party presidential candidate Jo
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Kwik Trip Launches Kwik Strip Gentlemen’s Clubs’
An October 12 2020 article headlined “Kwik Trip Launches Kwik Strip Gentlemen’s Clubs” was predictably a hit on social media, purportedly heralding a new gentleman’s club venture from the convenience store chain: Kwik Tr
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Trump Say Amy Coney Barrett is ‘Much Better Looking’ Than Other Supreme Court Justices?
As the United States Senate proceeded with the Supreme Court confirmation process for Judge Amy Coney Barrett on October 13 2020, a fabricated quote recirculated on Facebook repackaged as a graphic. Within hours of being posted, the meme had amassed m
Truth or Fiction?→ Did California Police Recommend Voting Against a Bill ‘for Racial Equality’?
A photograph of an advocacy group’s voter guide drew widespread attention on Twitter on October 7 2020 for bringing back to light a recurring nuisance for California voters. Scott Zabielski’s post showing the state ballot recommendations f
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Looks Like Crazy Nancy Had a Liquid Lunch’
On October 10 2020, a Facebook user shared the following image of Nancy Pelosi captioned “Looks like Crazy Nancy had a liquid lunch”: Although the post provided no context or source for the image, it racked up thousands of shares. In th
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘My Blood IS the Vaccine’ Tweet
On October 9 2020, as speculation mounted about United States President Donald Trump’s health following his COVID-19 diagnosis, a purported tweet circulated in screenshot form: The alleged tweet, which was dated October 5 2020, said simply,
Truth or Fiction?→ A Morgue Worker Was Not Arrested for Giving Birth to a Dead Man’s Baby
In October 2020, a purported news article — generally bearing the headline, “Morgue worker arrested after giving birth to a dead man’s baby” — began circulating in Facebook groups and on Twitter: W. T. F. I have so many que
Truth or Fiction?→ A Morgue Worker Was Not Arrested for Giving Birth to a Dead Man’s Baby
In October 2020, a purported news article — generally bearing the headline, “Morgue worker arrested after giving birth to a dead man’s baby” — began circulating in Facebook groups and on Twitter: W. T. F. I have so many que
Truth or Fiction?→ Suspects in Whitmer Kidnapping Plot Used Facebook as a Recruitment Tool
Social media accounts of several people arrested and charged with conspiring to kidnap Michigan’s Democratic Party governor Gretchen Whitmer were devoted to supporting or promoting right-wing disinformation, according to investigators and conten
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘BLM Destroys Hispanic Child’s Birthday Party’
On October 5 2020, the aptly named Facebook page “Infodemik” shared a video captioned “BLM destroy Hispanic child’s birthday party Houston, TX”: Variations and Iterations Infodemik also shared the clip with a similar
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Dr. Luke Die from COVID-19?
A pair of people on social media managed to create some online confusion around music producer Lukasz Sebastian Gottwald, a.k.a. “Dr. Luke,” on October 4 2020 — apparently independently of one another. The posts both claimed, falsel
Truth or Fiction?→ Did the Trump Campaign Use His COVID-19 Diagnosis in a Fundraising Message?
As speculation circulated online following United States President Donald Trump’s announcement late on October 1 2020 (or early on October 2 2020, depending on your time zone) that both he and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for CO
Truth or Fiction?→ Did the Trump Campaign Use His COVID-19 Diagnosis in a Fundraising Message?
As speculation circulated online following United States President Donald Trump’s announcement late on October 1 2020 (or early on October 2 2020, depending on your time zone) that both he and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for CO
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Trump’s Head’ Photograph
On September 29 2020, during the first round of presidential debates ahead of the November 3 2020 U.S. election, a popular tweet purportedly showed a patch or implant on President Donald Trump’s head: First presidential debate question from Ch
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Portland Sheriff’ Refutes Trump’s Debate Claim About Endorsement
During the September 29 2020 presidential debate, United States President and Republican nominee Donald Trump asserted that the “Portland Sheriff” endorsed him on that day. Trump’s claim arose at the tail end of the first 30 minutes
Truth or Fiction?→ Joe Biden’s Wrist ‘Wire’
During the September 29 2020 presidential debate, a purported “wire” seen on Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden’s wrist as he coughed into his sleeve predictably became a hot topic on social media, with increasingly conspiratorial an
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Couple Dies of Corona Virus in Meth Lab Explosion’
A meme crudely making light of the COVID-19 pandemic by imitating a news report cycled through at least three different iterations as it recirculated online again and again through social media. The graphic shows a damaged building alongside a mocked-
Truth or Fiction?→ Social Media Amplifies Conspiracies Targeting Biden Before First 2020 Debate
Hours before the first presidential debate on September 29 2020, right-wing operatives and blogs spewed several conspiracy theories that were only amplified, as per usual, on social media platforms that otherwise claim to fight disinformation. “
Truth or Fiction?→ Does This ‘Petri Dish Full of Bacteria Swabbed from a Child’s Mask’ Reveal the Risks of Wearing Masks?
In late September 2020, the following image began circulating on social media, purporting to show what sort of bacteria can be cultured in a petri dish after a face mask was worn by a child for twenty minutes, then swabbed: View this p
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Trump Tweet That the Supreme Court ‘Should Decide the Presidency at Every Election’ and ‘Bad Votes’ Shouldn’t Count?
On September 24 2020, a Facebook user shared a purported screenshot of a tweet by United States President Donald Trump in which he purportedly said that the Supreme Court “should decide the presidency at every election”: A date and timest
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Donald Trump Tweet in 2016 That President Obama Should Wait to Pick a New Supreme Court Justice or ‘Be Fired’?
After the September 2020 death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, amidst the chatter of a possible replacement and what that might mean for the future of the United States, a screenshot of a tweet began circulating which attributed commenta
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Joe Biden Completely Botches the Pledge of Allegiance’ Video
On September 21 2020, GOP “rapid response director” Steve Guest tweeted a video which he claimed showed that former U.S. Vice President (and Democratic Party presidential candidate) Joe Biden had “completely” botched the Pledge