In the first phase of the Twitter Blue initiative, blue verification checks were doled out to anyone on Twitter willing to pay for them. What was previously a de facto […] The post The battle over authenticity — and coolness — following The G
Publication: fact checking
Poynter→ No, brain aneurysms are not a ‘common’ side effect of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines
Corinne Foxx, daughter of Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx, said April 12 that her father had suffered a “medical complication” and was recovering. Absent additional details, the internet did what it […] The post No, brain aneurysms are
Poynter→ Here are falsehoods we found in Tucker Carlson’s final Fox show
In Tucker Carlson’s final show on Fox News, he covered topics that might make any of his 3 million viewers anxious. More Black people will be selling weed in the […] The post Here are falsehoods we found in Tucker Carlson’s final Fox show app
Poynter→ The Denver airport: A conspiracy hotbed
Since it was built in 1995, the Denver airport has become a hotbed for conspiracy theories — scary stories about underground bunkers, murals that have coded messages about the apocalypse, […] The post The Denver airport: A conspiracy hotbed a
Poynter→ Joe Biden is pushing for more electric cars. Will there be enough charging stations?
The Biden administration is proposing what it calls the “strongest-ever” pollution standards for vehicles, priming the pump for cars and light trucks that are not powered by fossil fuels. The […] The post Joe Biden is pushing for more
Poynter→ A video of a former CIA director is not proof that the government is spraying the sky with chemicals
The conspiracy theory that the U.S. government is intentionally spraying toxic chemicals into the air has persisted for nearly two decades. The baseless claims often refer to so-called “chemtrails” and say that the […] The post A v
Poynter→ Fact-checkers boosted budgets and broadened focus to tackle misinformation, report finds
Fact-checking organizations ramped up their budgets and diversified their focus in 2022, according to a new report that surveyed 93 verified signatories of the International Fact-Checking Network at Poynter. The […] The post Fact-checkers boosted
Poynter→ How to spot deepfake videos like a fact-checker
With the growing popularity and constant improvement of artificial intelligence, it’s tough to decipher what’s real or fake online. We’ve seen it — and fact-checked it — for ourselves. One […] The post How to spot deepfake videos like a
Poynter→ Kamala Harris said 1 in 5 Americans have lost a family member to gun violence. Poll data backs that claim
Just days after a series of high-profile incidents of gun violence, Vice President Kamala Harris sought to put the frequency of shootings in the United States into context. “You’ve seen […] The post Kamala Harris said 1 in 5 Americans hav
Poynter→ Dominion-Fox lawsuit: Here’s a look back at false claims about the voting machine company
Long before Dominion Voting Systems sued Fox News for defamation, PolitiFact was fact-checking claims about the election machine maker and its supposed influence over the 2020 election. Dominion was headed […] The post Dominion-Fox lawsuit: Here&
Poynter→ Why doesn’t the Supreme Court have a formal code of ethics?
A ProPublica report that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas accepted luxury trips from a high-profile Republican donor without disclosing them prompted a fresh flurry of criticism from Democrats and raised […] The post Why doesn’t the Suprem
Poynter→ $12 million Global Fact Check Fund opens applications for first grants
St. Petersburg, Fla. (April 14, 2023) – The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) at the nonprofit Poynter Institute, a global leader in journalistic excellence, in partnership with Google and YouTube, […] The post $12 million Globa
Poynter→ Joe Biden has approved more oil drilling. Why? And does it undo his efforts to fight climate change?
President Joe Biden greenlighted an $8 billion drilling project in Alaska, triggering a storm of denunciation from environmentalists. Less than three weeks later, he put up for auction 73 million […] The post Joe Biden has approved more oil drill
Poynter→ How the Indian government aims to take the role of independent fact-checkers
Last week, the Indian government passed a law that grants one of its own agencies the power to determine whether online content is factual. The fact-checking unit will function similarly […] The post How the Indian government aims to take the rol
Poynter→ How to uncover ads disguised as news stories
What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without a shower? According to this TikTok — which talks about the “dangers” of showering in regular tap water — the longer, the better. […] The post How to uncover ads disguised as news stories a
Poynter→ Ron DeSantis falsely said migrants were deported from Martha’s Vineyard within 24 hours
As he moves toward a potential bid for president, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has highlighted his efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, including flying migrants to Martha’s Vineyard in […] The post Ron DeSantis falsely said migrants were
Poynter→ Do loose gun laws lead to more gun deaths? Sometimes, but not always.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., one of Congress’ leading advocates of stricter gun laws, recently tweeted a statistic that he said shows that more restrictive gun laws can save lives. “The […] The post Do loose gun laws lead to more gun death
Poynter→ 5 takeaways from last week’s International Fact-Checking Day
Each year, the International Fact-Checking Network celebrates International Fact-Checking Day on April 2 – symbolically positioned just after April Fools’ Day. It’s a time to celebrate facts and elevate the […] The post 5 takeaways from las
Poynter→ Anheuser-Busch CEO didn’t resign after Bud Light partnered with a transgender influencer
Anheuser-Busch’s partnership with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney has sparked backlash from conservatives, with some social media users claiming the collaboration has led to turmoil at the beer company. […] The post Anheuser-
Poynter→ Yes, Africa is ‘splitting apart’ — but it will take millions of years
This post on TikTok, which says that the continent of Africa is “splitting apart,” caught my attention. “A massive crack stretching several kilometers made a sudden appearance in Kenya in […] The post Yes, Africa is ‘splitting apart’
Poynter→ US public schools are still teaching about the Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is one of America’s founding documents, yet a video circulating online claims that students in the U.S. aren’t learning about it. “Here’s a real rabbit hole […] The post US public schools are still
Poynter→ Don’t fall for these fake Donald Trump mug shots. He didn’t take one
Supposed mug shots of former President Donald Trump have circulated on social media for weeks, beginning after his March 18 Truth Social post announcing his impending arrest. In some pictures, he’s wearing […] The post Don’t fall for th
Poynter→ Fact check: Donald Trump’s post-indictment speech at Mar-a-Lago
Hours after appearing in a Manhattan courtroom devoid of television cameras, with limited photography and encircled by agitated protesters in the streets outside, Donald Trump returned home to Mar-a-Lago, his luxurious […] The post Fact check: D
Poynter→ Trump’s indictment is unprecedented in the US, but presidents have been indicted in other countries
After former President Donald Trump was indicted March 30, some Republican leaders decried the development as indicative of an unstable government. “I watch it happen all the time in the […] The post Trump’s indictment is unprecedente
Poynter→ What’s the key to regulating misinformation? Let’s start with a common language.
This op-ed was published in commemoration of International Fact-Checking Day, held April 2 each year to recognize the work of fact-checkers worldwide. One big challenge looms over attempts to regulate misinformation, […] The post What’s the ke
Poynter→ Global fact-checkers have diverse backgrounds, but their pursuit of facts is universal
This op-ed was published in commemoration of International Fact-Checking Day, held April 2 each year to recognize the work of fact-checkers worldwide. The pursuit of facts is the highest goal in […] The post Global fact-checkers have diverse bac
Poynter→ As the fact-checking world battles Russian falsehoods, Chinese misinformation often gets a pass
This op-ed was published in commemoration of International Fact-Checking Day, held April 2 each year to recognize the work of fact-checkers worldwide. The Russo-Ukrainian War that erupted in February 2022 prompted […] The post As the fact-checki
Poynter→ Poynter and Meta partner to provide Fact-Checking Fundamentals for Asia-Pacific journalists
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Apr. 4, 2023) — The International Fact-Checking Network at the nonprofit Poynter Institute, a global leader in journalistic excellence, has partnered with Meta to create a free […] The post Poynter and Meta partner to prov
Poynter→ How AI-generated content could both fuel disinformation and improve fact-checking
This op-ed was published in commemoration of International Fact-Checking Day, held April 2 each year to recognize the work of fact-checkers worldwide. The artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT is capable of writing […] The post How AI-generate
Poynter→ Health misinformation: The pandemic we can’t wish away
This op-ed was published in commemoration of International Fact-Checking Day, held April 2 each year to recognize the work of fact-checkers worldwide. “It’s because of the COVID vaccine … the flu […] The post Health misinformation: The pan
Poynter→ The laws were supposed to attack ‘fake news.’ Now they are jailing journalists
This op-ed was published in commemoration of International Fact-Checking Day, held April 2 each year to recognize the work of fact-checkers worldwide. In the wee hours of Dec. 20, 2019, armed […] The post The laws were supposed to attack ‘fake
Poynter→ What is an indictment and what does it mean for Donald Trump?
Donald Trump is expected to appear in a New York courtroom April 4 to be arraigned after a grand jury indictment in the Stormy Daniels hush money case. Although the […] The post What is an indictment and what does it mean for Donald Trump? appear
Poynter→ Vast gaps in fact-checking across the US allow politicians to elude scrutiny
This story was first published on the Duke Reporters’ Lab website. The candidates running last year for an open seat in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District exchanged a relentless barrage of scathing […] The post Vast gaps in fact-checking acr
Poynter→ No, experts say, acid rain did not fall after Ohio train derailment
A TikToker with the handle “Kate the Chemist” claims that acid rain fell in Ohio after the train derailment on Feb. 3. Her TikTok has more than 80,000 likes and […] The post No, experts say, acid rain did not fall after Ohio train derailment
Poynter→ Could GPT-4’s language capabilities exacerbate disinformation and threaten jobs?
The newest iteration of OpenAI’s generative chatbot, GPT-4, is heightening existential fears over misinformation, disinformation and job security. Its reasoning abilities are purportedly better than ChatGPT, with OpenAI pointing to […] The post
Poynter→ Gun violence has surpassed car accidents as the leading cause of death for people ages 1 to 19
A woman who survived a mass shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, in 2022 made a passionate plea for gun safety legislation in front of TV cameras after a mass school […] The post Gun violence has surpassed car accidents as the leading cause of de
Poynter→ Are you ready for a reality check? Check out Poynter’s first-ever media literacy zine
Ahead of International Fact-Checking Day on April 2, MediaWise, Poynter’s digital media literacy project, created something decidedly … well not digital. Print’s not dead yet! I’m the architect of MediaWise’s […] The post Are you ready
Poynter→ What the pope’s Balenciaga puffer jacket says about AI and misinformation
This weekend, we may have seen the first big artificial intelligence misinformation moment — featuring the pope and a puffer jacket. An image allegedly showing a swagged-out Pope Francis in […] The post What the pope’s Balenciaga puffer jacke
Poynter→ Trump said violent crime in Manhattan is ’now at a record level.’ It’s nowhere near record.
As he awaits a possible indictment in New York City, former President Donald Trump has taken to his social media platform, Truth Social, to preemptively criticize Manhattan District Attorney Alvin […] The post Trump said violent crime in Manhatta
Poynter→ What we know about Trump’s attacks on Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s backing by George Soros
Facing a potential indictment over a hush money payment, part of Trump’s strategy is to portray the prosecutor as being driven by partisan intent.