A photograph of Pope Francis greeting Holocaust survivors is part of a meme containing the baseless claim that the spiritual leader is kissing the hand of a purported architect of a New World Order.
Publication: Fact Check
Snopes→ Did John McCain Accidentally Vote ‘No’ on Affordable Care Act Repeal?
Stories that the Arizona senator admitted that his "no" vote to repeal parts of the ACA was an accident are just fake news.
Snopes→ Guam Reaches the Tipping Point
Rep. Hank Johnson said he feared that stationing 8,000 Marines on Guam would cause the island to 'become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize.'
Snopes→ Elephant Painting
Video clip shows an elephant painting a picture of an elephant. Is this the real thing, the product of digital trickery, or something else?
Snopes→ Did Russian Scientists Discover a ‘Cure’ for Homosexuality?
Online reports of the discovery by Russian medical researchers of a "cure" or "vaccine" for homosexuality are fake news.
Snopes→ Did a New Jersey Town Forbid Residents From Criticizing Islam?
As part of a lawsuit settlement, residents are barred from discussing Muslims or Islam at a planning commission meeting.
Snopes→ Did Congress Vote to Allow Horses to Be Slaughtered for Food?
The House Appropriations Committee ended a USDA ban on funding for inspections of horse slaughterhouses.
Snopes→ Does Crayola Recycle Markers for Free?
Facebook rumors about Crayola's marker recycling program were largely accurate, but the program is open only to schools in the U.S. (and parts of Canada).
Snopes→ Were New York Police Denied Service at a Brooklyn Donut Shop?
A Dunkin' Donuts worker reportedly refused service to two plainclothes NYPD officers, but the store said they were not in a line.
Snopes→ Did Actor Chris Pratt Say He Likes Hunting Because He Enjoys Killing Animals?
A quote attributed to Pratt about the joys of hunting is almost completely fabricated.
Snopes→ Did Donald Trump Predict the ‘Pizzagate’ Conspiracy Theory in a 2011 Interview?
Although Trump did mention the word "Pizzagate", he was referring to a non-controversy over a lunch meeting with Sarah Palin, not the pedophile ring conspiracy theory.
Snopes→ Did Justin Bieber and Katy Perry Say Pedophiles Run the Music Industry?
Both pop singers were targeted by fake news stories reporting that they had exposed a pedophile ring in control of the music business.
Snopes→ Online Store Selling ‘Horse Burkas’ for Muslim Customers?
A satirical web site poked fun at Islamophobia by claiming fly protection gear for horses was religious clothing.
Snopes→ 62°C Temperatures in Kuwait Cause Trees to Burst into Flames?
Despite a series of images showing melted street lights and trees on fire, the temperature in Kuwait has not reached 62 degrees Celsius.
Snopes→ Did an Australian Teen Get Attacked by Flesh-Eating Sea Bugs?
The 16-year-old was likely bitten by an unusually large number of sea fleas -- not sea lice, as was originally reported.
Snopes→ Starbucks Dreamer Day
Starbucks Dreamer Day was a hoax concocted on 4chan's /pol/ forum as a way to drive a wedge between liberal groups.
Snopes→ Couple Kills Dolphin?
Claims that photographs depict a couple who killed a dolphin by urinating in its blowhole were inaccurate, although it's true that handling dolphins can kill them.
Snopes→ ‘Life Is Hard; It’s Even Harder When You’re Stupid’
Neither actor John Wayne nor any of the characters he portrayed ever said 'Life is hard; it's even harder when you're stupid.'
Snopes→ Extraterrestrial Contact Law
No federal law actually prohibits U.S. citizens from having contact with extraterrestrial beings.
Snopes→ Carjacker Run Over by Truck?
Photographs purportedly showing a failed carjacker who was supposedly run over and killed by a truck he tried to commandeer don't tell the full story.
Snopes→ Honor Guard at Arlington National Cemetery
A popular viral item describes the duties and obligations of honor guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Snopes→ Sgt. Gregory Hayes Killed Two Syrian Refugees for Raping His Daughter?
A popular meme proclaimed that Sgt. Gregory Hayes beat a pair of Syrian refugees to death for raping his teenaged daughter, but we found no record Hayes even exists.
Snopes→ Starbucks Refused Free Product to Marines Serving in Iraq?
A rumor that Starbucks refused free product to Marines serving in Iraq, saying the company didn't support the war or anyone taking part in it, is both old and false.
Snopes→ Were ‘Highway Closed in Event of Enemy Attack’ Signs Posted During the Cold War?
Early 1950s efforts to prepare Americans for nuclear war included the erection of signs giving advance notice of highway closures in the event of attack.
Snopes→ Did a Man Die After ‘Holding in Farts’ at His Girlfriend’s House?
A satirical web site republished in English a fake story that had appeared in both Spanish and Portuguese.
Snopes→ Are Charitable NGOs Trafficking People Across the Mediterranean to Europe?
A group of white nationalists afloat at sea claims that non-governmental organizations like Doctors Without Borders are involved in human trafficking.
Snopes→ Did a Man in Sweden Die From Penis Enhancement Surgery?
News articles accurately recount a real case published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences.
Snopes→ Is NASA Hiring Someone to Protect Earth from Aliens?
NASA has announced a job opening for a planetary protection officer, but viral news reports take significant liberties when describing the nature of the job.
Snopes→ McGregor vs. Mayweather Fight Called Off After Mayweather’s Arrest?
An old news report about Floyd Mayweather's 2010 arrest appeared with a misleading title in July 2017.
Snopes→ Does Pepto-Bismol Contain Xylitol, Which is Harmful to Dogs?
Xylitol, a sugar substitute, is harmful to dogs, but Pepto-Bismol does not contain it.
Snopes→ Are People in Brooklyn Refusing to Vaccinate Their Pets Over Autism Fears?
This viral story has its origins in a neighborhood paper, but it is based entirely on the vague comments of two veterinarians and the musings of seemingly random people on the street.
Snopes→ Does a Meme Accurately Advise Sexual Assault Victims?
A meme posted to Reddit made statements of mixed accuracy about the rights of victims of rape and sexual assault.
Snopes→ Lightning Strikes a River, Sparks Explosion?
A video purportedly showing a bolt of lightning striking a river actually shows a controlled explosion by an engineering company.
Snopes→ Did Facebook Shut Down an AI Experiment Because Chatbots Developed Their Own Language?
Facebook's artificial intelligence scientists were purportedly dismayed when the bots they created began conversing in their own private language.
Snopes→ Will 2017’s Perseid Meteor Shower Be the Brightest in Recorded Human History?
The reason the web site that originally made this claim cites zero sources is likely due to the fact that there is a complete lack of factual information to support it.
Snopes→ Rats Per Capita
Do major cities harbor rodent populations equivalent to one rat per person?
Snopes→ Was a Giant System of Roots Discovered Below the Devil’s Tower Rock Formation?
A satirical Facebook page appeared to report that Devil's Tower, a large rock formation in Wyoming, was actually the remnants of a giant tree.
Snopes→ FBI Warning to ‘All Americans’ About Poisoned Produce
An online article misleadingly suggested that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had warned Americans to be alert of grocery store produce possibly sprayed with poison.
Snopes→ Did John McCain’s Vote Stop the ACA Repeal for the 2017 Fiscal Year?
A theory spread online overstated the consequences of the Arizona senator's July 2017 vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Snopes→ Did a Swimmer Become Infected with Flesh-Eating Bacteria in Myrtle Beach?
A viral Facebook post claimed that a woman was gravely sickened by flesh-eating bacteria in Myrtle Beach.