It’s pretty common for National Football League fans to wonder whether the fix is in against their favorite team, especially when a questionable penalty call factors into a close game’s outcome. […] The post Is the Super Bowl scripted? Let&#
Publication: fact checking
Poynter→ Joe Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address, fact-checked
Amid continued political polarization, and with opinion polls showing an uneasy public, President Joe Biden aimed to deliver a sense of fiscal and social relief during his State of the […] The post Joe Biden’s 2023 State of the Union addres
Poynter→ How to watch the 2023 State of the Union, what Biden will talk about and who’s responding
President Joe Biden will speak to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night for his second State of the Union address, updating the public on his actions as head […] The post How to watch the 2023 State of the Union, what Biden will talk about
Poynter→ There’s too much State of the Union fact-checking
When President Joe Biden steps to the House rostrum on Tuesday night to deliver the State of the Union address, every word he utters will be scrutinized by an army […] The post There’s too much State of the Union fact-checking appeared first on
Poynter→ Tweets distort Biden’s comments on tanks, Ukraine and World War III
President Joe Biden announced Jan. 25 that the U.S. will send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine to help it defend against Russia. A day later, a meme account on Twitter highlighted […] The post Tweets distort Biden’s comments on tanks, Ukraine an
Poynter→ This newspaper doesn’t exist: How ChatGPT can launch fake news sites in minutes
Michael Martinez, managing editor of the Suncoast Sentinel, is a foodie who loves jazz, volunteers at local homeless shelters and spends his days hiking in Florida’s state parks. One problem: […] The post This newspaper doesn’t exist: How Cha
Poynter→ Videos of people ‘dropping suddenly’ aren’t related to COVID-19 vaccines
“Died suddenly” has become shorthand for unfounded claims that COVID-19 vaccines were responsible for someone’s death. The words “dropped suddenly” elicits similar reactions on social media. “Why are people ‘dropping
Poynter→ Could ChatGPT supercharge false narratives?
ChatGPT, a new artificial intelligence application by OpenAI, has captured the imagination of the internet. Some have suggested it’s the largest technological advancement in modern history. In a recent interview, […] The post Could ChatGPT supe
Poynter→ What to know about the claim that Tyre Nichols was ‘reckless driving’
A man narrating a Facebook video claimed that 29-year-old Tyre Nichols was “reckless driving” before he suffered a fatal beating at the hands of five Memphis, Tennessee, police officers. “I […] The post What to know about the cl
Poynter→ Wikipedia: the good, the bad and the ugly
When Queen Elizabeth II died last year, she went from “is” to “was” in a split second on Wikipedia. This is the online encyclopedia that teachers have told students countless […] The post Wikipedia: the good, the bad and the ugly appeared
Poynter→ A parody account criticizing Aretha Franklin’s ‘Natural Woman’ sparks confusion
Are transgender activists lobbying music streaming platforms to remove Aretha Franklin’s famous song “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” on grounds it’s offensive to trans women? No, but […] The post A parody account critici
Poynter→ A claim vastly overstates the government’s spending on TSA’s gender-neutral screening technology
A man recording a video while in line at the airport Transportation Security Administration checkpoint had another agenda besides flying. In the video posted Jan. 19 on Facebook that’s been viewed nearly […] The post A claim vastly overstates
Poynter→ Mongolia moves to seize power to shut down internet, control social media
The Mongolian parliament passed a multipronged law last week that would ban users from posting information about any public official without express government consent. Any information shared in an online […] The post Mongolia moves to seize powe
Poynter→ Climate change is not a ‘naturally occurring phenomenon.’ Humanity is the driving force.
As global leaders discussed climate change and other issues at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, a social media post sought to downplay humanity’s role in climate change. “Climate […] The post Climate change is not a ‘natu
Poynter→ Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome and seasonal stroke risk concerns long predate the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in an era of significant change, medical and social, for people worldwide. But not everything is new — despite what some social media posts claims. “None of […] The post Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome and
Poynter→ Why you need to fact-check the “fact” pages
Have you noticed all the accounts on Instagram lately that have the word “fact” in them? There are hundreds of these, including @fact, @factsuntold, @blowingfact, @factsdailyy. They have huge followings […] The post Why you need to fact-check
Poynter→ Can classified documents be removed from secure facilities? Sometimes.
President Joe Biden has been grappling with the discovery of classified documents at two locations: his post-vice presidential office in Washington, D.C., and his home in Wilmington, Delaware. U.S. Attorney […] The post Can classified documents b
Poynter→ The bivalent booster vaccine does not increase chances of COVID-19 infection
As he proposed to extend the state’s ban on mandates for COVID-19 vaccines and face masks, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis lobbed a flurry of criticism at President Joe Biden and […] The post The bivalent booster vaccine does not increase chances
Poynter→ Climate activist Greta Thunberg didn’t stage her recent detention in Germany, police say
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg made headlines this week when she was detained while protesting against a coal mining operation in Lutzerath, Germany. But some people claim the moment was […] The post Climate activist Greta Thunberg didn
Poynter→ Does Pfizer’s COVID-19 booster increase stroke risk? ‘Very unlikely,’ agencies say
When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced an investigation into whether Pfizer’s bivalent COVID-19 booster caused strokes in certain age groups, […] The post Does Pfizer’s COVID-19
Poynter→ Rappler has been cleared of tax evasion charges
Rappler, a leading news and fact-checking organization in the Philippines, just won a consolidated tax evasion lawsuit that has been ongoing for four years. Though there are still charges pending, […] The post Rappler has been cleared of tax evas
Poynter→ Social Security does add to federal budget deficit, despite claims to the contrary
In a “Dear Republican Party” Facebook post, the group Occupy Democrats suggested that the GOP would use federal deficits and debt as a false pretense for cutting Social Security. “Social […] The post Social Security does add to
Poynter→ The cost of eggs has increased significantly, but social media posts exaggerate the price jump
For many Americans lately, buying eggs has felt like being on an expensive Easter egg hunt. Bird flu outbreaks have strained the supply of eggs nationwide, driving up prices when demand […] The post The cost of eggs has increased significantly,
Poynter→ The White House is not banning gas stoves and ovens
Fox News viewers might think a government agency is cooking up a plan to take away their gas stoves and ovens, after comments from network host Sean Hannity. “Now, not […] The post The White House is not banning gas stoves and ovens appeare
Poynter→ Jan 8. invasion of Brazil’s capital ‘bigger and more frightening’ than the US Capitol attack, fact-checkers say
Fifteen hundred pro-Bolsonaro protesters have been detained in the Brazilian Jan. 8 capitol riot redolent of the one that happened two years ago at the United States Capitol, according to […] The post Jan 8. invasion of Brazil’s capital ‘bigg
Poynter→ Young and healthy people get benefits from COVID-19 vaccines, despite claims to contrary
As a highly transmissible coronavirus variant begins to dominate new infections in the U.S., social media users are sharing a video clip from vaccine scientist-turned-anti-vaccine activist Dr. Robert Malone. In […] The post Young and healthy peop
Poynter→ An Instagram post takes a Tom Hanks clip out of context to falsely claim he condones pedophilia
An Instagram post claims to show proof that the actor Tom Hanks supports pedophilia. The Jan. 3 post showed a snippet of Hanks clapping his hands and shouting “sexy baby” at a […] The post An Instagram post takes a Tom Hanks clip ou
Poynter→ Corporate greenwashing: Is that big business as environmentally friendly as it seems?
A post on Twitter claims the popular retail clothing store H&M has been doing something called greenwashing. “I found it … astounding how a company like H&M would resort to […] The post Corporate greenwashing: Is that big business as
Poynter→ What Biden said about migrants at the southern US border and Jews fleeing the Holocaust, in context
President Joe Biden visited the Mexico-Texas border Jan. 8 and expanded an immigration program that will give more migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti and Venezuela the chance to enter the […] The post What Biden said about migrants at the south
Poynter→ Anti-vaccine activists are using faulty data to claim cardiac arrests are increasing in athletes. They’re not.
It’s become a familiar pattern. A notable figure experiences a tragic event — an injury or even death — and within minutes, online anti-vaccination activists and conservative personalities attribute it […] The post Anti-vaccine activists ar
Poynter→ Misinformation is swirling online about COVID-19 vaccines and Damar Hamlin’s collapse
NFL player Damar Hamlin remained in critical condition Jan. 4, two days after he collapsed on the field mid-game from what his team said was cardiac arrest. While fans gathered outside a […] The post Misinformation is swirling online about COVI
Poynter→ There is no scientific evidence that garlic can be used to treat respiratory illnesses
As the United States is in the midst of a winter “tripledemic” with rising cases of COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, also called RSV, an Instagram post claims a […] The post There is no scientific evidence that g
Poynter→ Yes, this viral Keanu TikTok account is a deepfake
You’ve probably seen a TikTok account with videos of Keanu Reeves acting … very strange. The videos have millions of likes and comments. But has Keanu really made the jump […] The post Yes, this viral Keanu TikTok account is a deepfake appear
Poynter→ Complicated conversations: Tactics for dealing with the conspiracy theorist at your holiday table
The season is upon us, which means you’ll likely be gathering with family members and friends to share a holiday meal, but that can also mean sharing some dubious claim […] The post Complicated conversations: Tactics for dealing with the conspi
Poynter→ Are these photos from the Arctic accurate?
Climate change is on everyone’s radar, so it is perhaps obvious why the following Tweet recently went viral: “Two photos of the arctic taken 100 years apart showing the dramatic […] The post Are these photos from the Arctic accurate? appear
Poynter→ Twitter’s policy on misleading COVID-19 information is ‘no longer in effect’
Factually is a newsletter about fact-checking and misinformation from Poynter’s International Fact-Checking Network. Sign up here to receive it in your email every other Thursday. The latest issue of the saga we’re all tired […] The post
Poynter→ Google and YouTube partner with Poynter’s International Fact-Checking Network on $13.2 million grant for the global fact-checking community
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Nov. 29, 2022) – The International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) at the nonprofit Poynter Institute, a global leader in journalistic excellence, announces a partnership with Google and YouTube […] The post Google and
Poynter→ Trump won’t be fact-checked on Facebook, per Meta
While the third-party fact-checking program has long been a Facebook feature that helps flag and demote misinformation shared on the platform, it does not apply to active politicians. CNN recently […] The post Trump won’t be fact-checked on Fac
Poynter→ Don’t be fooled by fake screenshots
In April, a social media post — supposedly from CNN — showed a photo of child soldiers in Ukraine. “As fighting intensifies in Europe, brave children sign up to fight […] The post Don’t be fooled by fake screenshots appeared first on
Poynter→ Gun laws and book bans: How to find the missing context
A Twitter user recently posted, “Seniors in high school in Oklahoma can carry an AR-15 without a permit but are banned from reading To Kill a Mockingbird.” This tweet went […] The post Gun laws and book bans: How to find the missing con