NOTE TO TEACHERS: This article is featured in a free, one-hour lesson plan that teaches students how to fact-check claims about “zombie” viruses thawing in the Siberian permafrost. The lesson […] The post Will melting glaciers caused by clima
Publication: fact checking
Poynter→ How misinformers exploit TikTok’s audio features to spread fake war footage in Ukraine
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has fueled a surge of false and misleading content on TikTok. Countless videos are exploiting the platform’s defining features around audio creation and sharing in order […] The post How misinformers exploit TikTo
Poynter→ Evidence of Russia’s war in Ukraine is plentiful. It is not ‘scripted and staged.’
Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine has brought on an onslaught of attacks, injuries and deaths for more than a week. But according to one claim on Facebook, the war is […] The post Evidence of Russia’s war in Ukraine is plentiful. It is no
Poynter→ Ukrainian Snake Island soldiers are believed to be alive, but details of their captivity are unclear
A group of 13 Ukrainian soldiers stationed on Snake Island in the Black Sea has captured the world’s attention, but the group has also been the subject of confounding social media reports […] The post Ukrainian Snake Island soldiers are b
Poynter→ Twitter’s Birdwatch takes off for a test flight
When Russia invaded Ukraine last week, misinformation immediately went viral. While signatories of the International Fact-Checking Network verified images and videos depicting the war in a global database, citizen fact-checkers […] The post Twitt
Poynter→ A viral photo of a girl confronting a soldier is from 2012 in West Bank, not Ukraine in 2022
A nearly 10-year-old photo is being misrepresented on social media as an image from present-day Ukraine. “An 8-year-old Ukrainian girl confronts a Russian soldier telling him to go back to […] The post A viral photo of a girl confronting a
Poynter→ No, Bob Saget and Betty White’s deaths were not due to the COVID-19 vaccine
After the loss of actors Betty White and Bob Saget, many social media users began spreading the baseless claim that both of these deaths were actually caused by the COVID-19 […] The post No, Bob Saget and Betty White’s deaths were not due to t
Poynter→ President Joe Biden’s 2022 State of the Union address, fact-checked
President Joe Biden argued forcefully for the power of democracy while calling out Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in a State of the Union address that soon turned to the domestic […] The post President Joe Biden’s 2022 State of the Union ad
Poynter→ Global fact-checkers unite to battle disinformation about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Soon after Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine late last week, Clara Jiménez Cruz noticed something. As with any major geopolitical conflict, swirls of disinformation were already beginning to […] The post Global fact-checkers unit
Poynter→ Ted Cruz said more journalists were killed in Mexico than in any other country in 2020. He’s right.
In a Feb. 16 meeting of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations that had been dedicated to U.S.-Colombia relations, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) demanded details on not just the […] The post Ted Cruz said more journalists were killed in M
Poynter→ Watch out for these 6 hoaxes about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
As news of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine spread across the world, misinformation quickly followed. Social media feeds are filled with distressing images, videos and stories with descriptions that convey they […] The post Watch out for these 6 ho
Poynter→ Putin says parts of Ukraine have been Russian since ‘time immemorial.’ That’s a one-sided view of history.
Russia recognized the independence of two eastern provinces in Ukraine and followed up by sending Russian troops across the Ukrainian border. What Western leaders called a major violation of international […] The post Putin says parts of Ukraine
Poynter→ CNN didn’t report that Queen Elizabeth II died
Buckingham Palace announced on Feb. 20 that Queen Elizabeth II had tested positive for COVID-19 and was experiencing cold-like symptoms that were mild enough that she planned to continue “light […] The post CNN didn’t report that Queen El
Poynter→ How to spot video and photo fakes as Russia invades Ukraine
In the first hours of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, internet watchdogs pored over images shared on Russian media that claimed Ukraine struck first and Russia merely responded. The Biden […] The post How to spot video and photo fakes as Russia
Poynter→ A Putin spokesman says ‘Russia has never attacked anyone.’ That statement ignores centuries of Russian attacks.
As Russia’s military was surrounding Ukraine and threatening to invade, Russian president Vladimir Putin’s spokesman gave an interview in which he denied that Russia had ever invaded any other country. […] The post A Putin spokesman says R
Poynter→ Even George Washington was a target of misinformation
While it’s easy to consider President George Washington as a Founding Father from long ago, his political milieu of the 1700s had at least one thing in common with today: […] The post Even George Washington was a target of misinformation appear
Poynter→ No, CNN didn’t confirm former President Donald Trump will be arrested
Amid news that former President Donald Trump’s accounting firm cut ties with him and disavowed a decade of financial statements it prepared for the Trump Organization comes a Facebook video with this […] The post No, CNN didn’t confirm form
Poynter→ Jesse Watters spins facts beyond recognition with claims that Hillary Clinton paid to hack and frame Trump
Fox News host Jesse Watters falsely accused Hillary Clinton of paying hackers to break into former President Donald Trump’s computers and plant fabricated evidence that would frame Trump for collusion with the […] The post Jesse Watters spins
Poynter→ Children are at far higher risk of myocarditis from COVID-19 infection than from vaccines
Texas cardiologist Dr. Peter McCullough recently claimed that a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study shows COVID-19 vaccines are causing myocarditis in children. But he took the data out […] The post Children are at far higher risk of
Poynter→ COVID-19 vaccines do not contain HIV
COVID-19 vaccines do not contain harmful substances or introduce disease, though those debunked theories continue to circulate on social media. “The second booster has eight strains of HIV,” says one Feb. 2 post on Facebook. […]
Poynter→ Will parents trust Pfizer’s pediatric vaccine after a new postponement?
Covering COVID-19 is a daily Poynter briefing of story ideas about the coronavirus and other timely topics for journalists, written by senior faculty Al Tompkins. Sign up here to have […] The post Will parents trust Pfizer’s pediatric vaccine a
Poynter→ A Facebook post cries foul at Washington Post headline, but COVID-19 data supports the journalism
The omicron variant of COVID-19 has proved to be less severe than previous strains of the virus, but deaths in the U.S. have remained high due to its higher transmissibility, […] The post A Facebook post cries foul at Washington Post headline, bu
Poynter→ C.S. Lewis didn’t write, ‘They believed blindly everything they heard or read in the papers. They gave up their freedoms.’
C.S. Lewis, the late author of books including “The Chronicles of Narnia,” has been credited with penning a passage that predates the pandemic by about 80 years but might sound […] The post C.S. Lewis didn’t write, ‘They belie
Poynter→ There’s no scientific evidence that vaccines are responsible for strange blood clots observed by embalmers
Embalmers and funeral home workers say they are noticing an increase in unusual blood clots among the deceased. Some of them, without evidence, are attributing it to the COVID-19 vaccines. […] The post There’s no scientific evidence that va
Poynter→ False flags are real, but far less widespread than social media suggest
Citing newly acquired intelligence, the U.S. in early February accused Russia of plotting a fake attack by Ukrainian forces as a pretext for invading the neighboring country. U.S. officials provided few details […] The post False flags are real
Poynter→ What to know about a study on lockdowns and COVID-19 deaths by economists affiliated with Johns Hopkins
Fox News and other outlets are touting a new study that looked at how early COVID-19 lockdowns impacted mortality of the disease. The stories come with bombshell headlines that say […] The post What to know about a study on lockdowns and COVID-19
Poynter→ These college students created a new tool to bring digital media literacy training into classrooms everywhere
One student wanted to know why so many nurses were spreading vaccine misinformation. Other participants drew parallels to popular crime-fighting myths found in shows like “Criminal Minds.” But most of […] The post These college students creat
Poynter→ Spikevax and Comirnaty are brand names for existing COVID-19 vaccines, which are widely available
Referring to COVID-19 vaccines by their brand names, an article headline misleads about their availability. “Few, If Any, Doses of Spikevax or Comirnaty Available in United States, Despite FDA Approvals,” […] The post Spikevax and Com
Poynter→ How to fact-check Joe Rogan, and other questions from the fact-checking community
In light of artists and podcasters leaving Spotify over its misinformation policy, the fact-checking minds of Poynter came together to discuss the implications of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” comedian Joe […] The post How to fact-check Joe Rog
Poynter→ Justin Trudeau was joking when he suggested he bribed the media
A Feb. 2 Instagram post claims that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “pays mainstream media $600 million to report in favor of him.” The evidence? A clip of Trudeau saying […] The post Justin Trudeau was joking when he suggested
Poynter→ Data does not show COVID-19 vaccine failure in England
A doctor known for funding and spreading vaccine misinformation says evidence from overseas proves COVID-19 vaccines are failing — a claim that has been repeatedly debunked. “British data show the COVID shots are an […] The post Data
Poynter→ DeSantis didn’t tell the full story about evidence for the FDA’s move on monoclonal antibody treatments
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has prioritized access to monoclonal antibody treatments as a way to help Floridians deal with COVID-19 while downplaying the use of vaccines as a way to […] The post DeSantis didn’t tell the full story about evide
Poynter→ Donald Trump falsely claimed that New York delayed COVID-19 treatment for white people
At an Arizona rally, former President Donald J. Trump stirred up the crowd with inaccurate claims about how white people are being put at a disadvantage when seeking health care during the […] The post Donald Trump falsely claimed that New York
Poynter→ Sean Hannity claimed Joe Biden is the first president to prioritize race, gender in picking a Supreme Court nominee. That’s not true.
Fox News host Sean Hannity misleadingly claimed that President Joe Biden was venturing into unprecedented territory with his pledge to nominate a Black woman as a replacement for U.S. Supreme […] The post Sean Hannity claimed Joe Biden is the fir
Poynter→ No, Joe Biden and Joseph Stalin didn’t say the same thing about counting votes
Though divided by countries, decades and ideologies, former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and President Joe Biden are being compared in a recent Facebook post that looks at the purported words of both […] The post No, Joe Biden and Joseph Stalin
Poynter→ How to find out who is behind a political ad on Facebook
The midterm election campaigns have barely begun, and politicians and advocacy groups are already spending over $1 million a day on Facebook ads to energize their supporters and gain new […] The post How to find out who is behind a political ad o
Poynter→ Social media claims about Louie Anderson’s in-flight sickness after a COVID-19 booster aren’t true
On Jan. 21, comedian and actor Louie Anderson died. His longtime publicist, Glenn Schwartz, told reporters that Anderson died due to complications of diffuse large B cell lymphoma, a blood cancer. But, […] The post Social media claims about Lou
Poynter→ More research is needed on a potential Benadryl and milk protein treatment for COVID-19
Two years into the coronavirus pandemic, people are continuing to look for new prevention and treatment options. The latest combo getting attraction on social media involves Benadryl and a protein […] The post More research is needed on a potenti
Poynter→ Claims that COVID death figures are inflated by counting those who died ‘with, not from’ the virus are premised on false assertions
An Instagram post imploring readers to use “simple math” asserts that U.S. deaths from COVID-19 are vastly overcounted. The viral post says the number of estimated annual COVID-19 deaths in the United […] The post Claims that COVID
Poynter→ Novak Djokovic isn’t the first athlete to be banned from sporting events for being unvaccinated
After an 11-day ordeal, tennis star Novak Djokovic was deported from Australia after he lost his final bid to stay in the country and play in the Australian Open despite being unvaccinated […] The post Novak Djokovic isn’t the first athlete t