False or misleading videos pop up a lot of ways online, like this one where an Instagram user posted a video of a woman revealing a hidden trap door leading […]
Publication: fact checking
Poynter→ Claims that Silicon Valley Bank donated $73 million to Black Lives Matter are unsupported
Newsmax, Tucker Carlson and Jesse Watters suggested without evidence that 'woke' investments contributed to the bank's collapse.
Poynter→ Do rising fentanyl seizures at the border signal better detection or more drugs?
Experts say seizure data can definitively tell us only how many drugs were stopped from entering the US. Any other information is theoretical.
Poynter→ Q&A: Can Trump run for president if indicted in the Stormy Daniels case? What happens if he’s arrested?
Criminal charges against a former president would be historically unprecedented. We asked legal experts questions that might be atop Americans’ minds.
Poynter→ Whoopi Goldberg said the First Amendment ‘doesn’t allow you to willingly lie.’ That’s mostly false.
In most cases, the First Amendment considers lies to be protected speech. There are exceptions to this general rule, but they are limited.
Poynter→ President Joe Biden flip-flopped on allowing new oil and gas drilling on federal lands
As he campaigned for president in 2020, Joe Biden responded to a New Hampshire town hall question unequivocally, adding repetition for emphasis. “No more drilling on federal lands,” he said Feb. 9, […] The post President Joe Biden f
Poynter→ How to uncover out-of-context quotes
A viral meme going around seems to suggest President Joe Biden is knowingly escalating the Russia/Ukraine conflict into “World War III.” The meme is made up of two photos: The […] The post How to uncover out-of-context quotes appeared first o
Poynter→ There is no lawsuit settlement between ‘The View’ and Kyle Rittenhouse. A post that says so is satire.
If you want a “smart, speedy take on the news around the world,” perhaps don’t rely on “News Portal,” the name of a WordPress blog that describes itself as such. […] The post There is no lawsuit settlement between ‘The
Poynter→ The Unite the Right rally was real, not a staged ‘intel op’ as Dilbert creator Scott Adams claims
On Aug. 11, 2017, hundreds of alt-right and neo-Nazi supporters gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia, to protest the city’s decision to remove Confederate monuments. Armed with weapons and lit tiki torches […] The post The Unite the Right rall
Poynter→ Fact-checking 6 claims in Joe Biden’s budget speech on the economy, taxes and Medicare
President Joe Biden proposed a $6.8 trillion budget this week that would impose tax hikes on the wealthy to bolster Medicare’s finances ands provide additional money to expand social programs. […] The post Fact-checking 6 claims in Joe Biden’
Poynter→ In a swipe at Fox News, Trump made a misleading statement about Los Angeles County’s elections
Former President Donald Trump, who continues to falsely call the 2020 election “rigged,” pointed to litigation in Los Angeles County as one sign that the election wasn’t fair. “Let’s ask […] The post In a swipe at Fox Ne
Poynter→ Sinister or simple: Checking out Antarctica conspiracy theories
With islands in Antarctica named Omicron and Deception and places named after billionaires like Rothschild and Rockefeller, some people, like this Redditor, believe this southernmost continent hides dark secrets. Antarctica […] The post Sinister
Poynter→ 7 false claims from Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s segments on Jan. 6 footage
Fox News host Tucker Carlson on March 6 aired newly released security video from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol that he said was provided to him […] The post 7 false claims from Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s segments on Jan. 6 fo
Poynter→ Political definitions for ‘woke’ are all over the place
Are you woke to “woke”? Seems pundits and politicians can’t stop talking about it. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ Republican response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address […] The post Political definitions
Poynter→ Claims that acid rain fell over Ohio farmlands after the train derailment lack evidence, experts say
Is acid rain coming down over Ohio farmlands? Social media posts claim this is an effect of the response to the Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. A […] The post Claims that acid rain fell over Ohio farmlands after the train derailm
Poynter→ Finding credible sources to check climate claims
An Instagram user, Tommy Vext, recently posted, “If your global crisis requires publicity stunts to convince everyone there is a crisis, there is no global crisis.” Climate change is a […] The post Finding credible sources to check climate cl
Poynter→ Claims made at CPAC 2023 about the FBI, fentanyl and the IRS, fact-checked
Republican lawmakers and pundits at the 2023 Conservative Political Action Conference berated President Joe Biden and his administration officials as weak and biased against conservatives. The conference, which has been […] The post Claims made a
Poynter→ New reports show backing for the COVID-19 lab leak theory, but government agencies remain divided
A Feb. 26 report by The Wall Street Journal sent major ripples through the policy world and social media. The article said the Energy Department had concluded in a five-page report that […] The post New reports show backing for the COVID-19 lab
Poynter→ Misinformation ‘superspreader’ engagement increased 44% on Twitter since Musk purchase, study says
Since his acquisition of Twitter, tech mogul Elon Musk has received pushback on numerous occasions for promoting false information and conspiracy theories (some of which he has since walked back). […] The post Misinformation ‘superspreader’ e
Poynter→ Fact-checking Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new book, ‘The Courage to Be Free’
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new book is as much a memoir as it is a map of his political ideology. An anecdote about playing Little League baseball is tied to […] The post Fact-checking Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new book, ‘The Coura
Poynter→ The war in Ukraine isn’t ‘fake,’ and these photos don’t prove that it is
At least 8,000 civilians have been killed since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, according to the United Nations, and thousands more have been injured. Millions have been displaced. But […] The post The war in Ukraine isn’t ‘fake,’
Poynter→ Sen. Elizabeth Warren didn’t say Republicans shouldn’t vote. A viral video was altered.
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., has spoken out against voter suppression, but a recent video circulating social media appears to show her putting a thumb on the election scales. “Allowing […] The post Sen. Elizabeth Warren didn’t say
Poynter→ Did George Soros endorse Ron DeSantis for president? No.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis does not have a Truth Social account. But his name has become a fixture in former President Donald Trump’s posts on the platform. Trump’s latest swipe […] The post Did George Soros endorse Ron DeSantis for pr
Truth or Fiction?→ Propublica’s Politwoops Archive in Peril — Can It Be Saved?
On February 24 2023, data journalist Derek Willis tweeted a “eulogy” for Politwoops, an archive of deleted tweets in the public interest maintained by investigative journalism organization ProPublica: For six years I had the responsibilit
Poynter→ How Nigeria’s fact-checkers are using AI to counter election misinformation
As interest and concern grow over generative artificial intelligence and its unrivaled ability to rapidly spread misinformation, some are harnessing AI to promote healthy information ecosystems. Ahead of Nigeria’s 2023 […] The post How Nigeria
Poynter→ How FEMA and other federal agencies are aiding East Palestine with the train derailment
When disasters happen, local and state officials often turn to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for aid. So, after a freight train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, […] The post How FEMA and other federal agencies
Poynter→ No one is ‘gunning for’ your Xbox
This tweet from Sen. Ted Cruz says: “First gas stoves, then your coffee, now they’re gunning for your Xbox.” It got a lot of attention on social media. What is […] The post No one is ‘gunning for’ your Xbox appeared first
Poynter→ If nothing changes, Social Security money will run out by 2034 and beneficiaries will get smaller monthly checks
President Joe Biden has accused some Republicans of threatening Social Security’s future, a charge they have denied. The attack — and the defense — ignore these facts about Social Security: […] The post If nothing changes, Social Security m
Poynter→ How an antisemitic conspiracy theory amplified by Ye, Kyrie Irving divides Black, Jewish people
For days in late 2022, the group posted itself outside Barclays Center, home to the National Basketball Association’s Brooklyn Nets. They were supporters of then-Nets star Kyrie Irving, who was […] The post How an antisemitic conspiracy theory
Poynter→ We’ve seen reports of three train derailments this month. Is this normal?
All eyes are on America’s railways following the calamitous derailment of a freight train in East Palestine, Ohio. On Feb. 3, more than 30 cars of a Norfolk Southern train […] The post We’ve seen reports of three train derailments this month.
Poynter→ Tucker Carlson is wrong: Diversity makes the Biden administration more representative, not less
Fox News host Tucker Carlson criticized President Joe Biden’s federal judge nominations, calling them “race-based” and illegal. “The point of diversity, equity and inclusion, as you’ve often heard, is to […] The post Tuc
Poynter→ What we know about health, environmental concerns following the Ohio train derailment
A disastrous train derailment in a small Ohio town has left many of the area’s residents concerned about public safety and the environment. On Feb. 3, a Norfolk Southern freight […] The post What we know about health, environmental concerns fol
Poynter→ Twitter is removing free API access and no one is excited
As part of Elon Musk’s latest attempts to turn a de facto online public square into a profitable enterprise (and rid the site of spam), Twitter announced earlier this month […] The post Twitter is removing free API access and no one is excited
Poynter→ What counts as a mass shooting? The definition varies.
After each mass shooting in the United States, we hear a lot of debate about gun policies and just how often these shootings happen. On Feb. 13, a gunman fatally […] The post What counts as a mass shooting? The definition varies. appeared first o
Poynter→ ChatGPT: Separating fact from fiction in the era of AI
Watch how fast this artificial intelligence tool can write a fake article, from a fake newspaper, with a fake reporter. Amazing, but kind of scary, too. This new technology is […] The post ChatGPT: Separating fact from fiction in the era of AI
Poynter→ Did Canada invent football? Pretty much. Dave Grohl’s Super Bowl claim is largely right.
Super Bowl LVII had some remarkable moments. Rihanna performed the halftime show in a red jumpsuit and debuted a new baby bump, and the Kansas City Chiefs came back with […] The post Did Canada invent football? Pretty much. Dave Grohl’s Super B
Poynter→ Have vaccines caused ‘100% of COVID deaths in Canada?’ Not even close.
Canada’s government has not published data showing that all COVID-19 deaths in the country are caused by COVID-19 vaccines, despite claims spreading online. “100% of COVID deaths in Canada now […] The post Have vaccines caused ‘100% of
Poynter→ Are Biden’s border policies to blame for fentanyl deaths? Experts say no.
President Joe Biden may have been seeking a bipartisan solution to America’s staggering fentanyl crisis when he raised the issue at his State of the Union address Feb. 8. But […] The post Are Biden’s border policies to blame for fentanyl deat
Poynter→ Fact-checkers in the Middle East speak out after the Turkey-Syria earthquake
As the official death toll from Monday’s earthquake in Turkey and Syria surpasses 22,000, fact-checking organizations that operate out of the region described the chaotic state of information, the effects […] The post Fact-checkers in the Middl
Poynter→ No, Damar Hamlin’s mid-game collapse was not caused by the COVID-19 vaccine
MediaWise teen fact-checker Saahil Mishra debunks the claim that athlete Damar Hamlin collapsed because of the COVID-19 vaccine - and gives you some tips on how to evaluate scientific claims you see online. The post No, Damar Hamlin’s mid-game collap