On February 2 2021, a screenshot of a tweet was shared on Reddit and Imgur, highlighting Congresswoman Lauren Boebert’s purported level of education and adding that “they” (presumably conservatives or Republicans) complain about Rep.
Publication: Fact Checks
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘President Trump’s New Office Looks STUNNING’
Even after the end of his presidency, supporters of Donald Trump continued peddling bad information online in February 2021. Anti-Muslim lecturer Brigitte Gabriel posted a photograph of Trump on Twitter saying, “President Trump’s new office lo
Truth or Fiction?→ What Is a Short Ladder Attack?
During viral interest in the GameStop short squeeze, claims that a “short ladder attack” was driving drops in the price of “meme stocks” like $GME and $AMC became popular on Reddit, Facebook, and Twitter — which in turn
Truth or Fiction?→ Did 20 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses ‘Go Missing’?
Online speculation around former presidential advisor Jared Kushner swirled on social media after stories appeared about ongoing problems facing United States President Joe Biden’s administration as it continued fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, n
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Please Consider Buying’ Girl Scout Cookies from ‘Troop 6000,’ ‘Entirely Made up of Girls Living in NYC’s Homeless Shelters’
On February 1 2021, a screenshot of a tweet was shared to Imgur which contained the claim that anyone interested in Girl Scout cookies without a scout to buy from could obtain an order from “Troop 6000,” whose scouts live in New York Cit
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘When Covid Hit New Zealand’ Tweet
In February 2021, an undated screenshot of a tweet spread on Reddit and Imgur, which purportedly described the way New Zealand handled the COVID-19 pandemic (with an unvoiced but inherent contrast with the United States): Yep here you are f
Truth or Fiction?→ Does Jen Psaki Have a Brother Working for Citadel LLC?
As discourse and debate surrounding online trading in general and the app Robinhood in particular continued to spread in January 2021, some right-wing social media users attempted to link it to new White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, claiming that
Truth or Fiction?→ Is Robinhood Selling People’s Shares Without Consent, and Under Market Value?
During the late January 2021 GameStop ($GME) short squeeze, trading app Robinhood came under fire for halting the buying only (not selling) of popular tickers — and anecdotal reports began filtering into the news cycle that Robinhood was, in add
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Robinhood Insider Information’ Reddit Post
During the viral frenzy of rumors surrounding Robinhood’s controversial decision to halt buying on popular tickers (including $GME and $AMC), a post from a brand-new Reddit account (u/Odin19199) became a major part of the day’s discourse:
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Wall Streeters Looking Down on Occupy Wall Street’
As the debate over the online stock activity surrounding GameStop — and subsequent questions about the activity by financial trading insiders responding to it — online commentary drew a link between the anger toward present-day Wall Street
Truth or Fiction?→ Does Citadel Own Robinhood?
On January 28 2021 the popular stock trading app Robinhood controversially halted trading of two viral tickers ($GME and $AMC) following the improbable rally of $GME, leading to whispers that Robinhood was owned by Citadel — a capital firm purpo
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Elon Musk Tweet ‘If $GME Reach $1000 I Will Put the GameStop Logo on My Next Rocket’?
As retail traders drove GameStop ($GME) to stratospheric heights on January 26 and 27 2021, chatter on ticker-centric sites spiked in volume; several social stock platforms displayed a purported tweet attributed to entrepreneur Elon Musk referencing $
Truth or Fiction?→ Is the Average Rent $1,234 a Month, Necessitating a $30.77 Hourly Wage to Afford to Live?
In January 2021, a Facebook post from three years before began to pick up notice on social media platforms again; it maintained that the average cost of rent was $1,234 a month — a sum that the post argued was unaffordable with a federal minimum
Truth or Fiction?→ Is the Biden Administration Ending Federal Use of Private Prisons?
United States President Joe Biden’s administration was set to fulfill one of his campaign promises on January 26 2021 — at least in part. Biden was scheduled to sign an executive order instructing the Department of Justice not to renew its
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Still the Best Picture of #BernieSanders Sitting Though’
A January 20 2021 image of Bernie Sanders sitting (with mittens) at United States President Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony went instantly viral as a meme, and among responses was a since-deleted tweet — labeled “Still the best pic
Truth or Fiction?→ Is Lloyd Austin Considering ‘Defunding’ or ‘Maybe Disbanding’ the U.S. Army?
The efforts to push disinformation about United States President Joe Biden’s administration began within days of his January 2021 inauguration, with a graphic falsely claiming that the U.S. military faced possible “defunding.” The me
Truth or Fiction?→ Billboard in Inverness, Florida
On January 25 2021, screenshots of a purported billboard in Inverness, Florida began circulating on Twitter and Facebook: If u ever wondered how Matt Gaetz got elected This is his district #Deliverance pic.twitter.com/Cr6cQe2rpQ — Tough Love
Truth or Fiction?→ Is Joe Biden’s Rolex Really Beau Biden’s Rolex?
A January 22 2021 New York Times piece headlined, “Joe Biden, Watch Geek in Chief” observed that newly inaugurated United States President Joe Biden wore a Rolex during his inauguration, leading to at least two viral tweets asserting th
Truth or Fiction?→ Kalief Browder, Riley Williams
On January 22 2021, a tweet from @DerenicByrd contrasting the justice system’s treatment of a 22-year-old white woman named Riley Williams versus a Black teenager named Kalief Browder spread virally on Twitter and Imgur: Kalief Browder alle
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Doctor Erase $650,000 in Medical Debt for 200 People?
A retiring doctor’s act of generosity earned him national media attention and created an online buzz — while also inadvertently underlining gaps in reporting from some of the news organizations telling his story. Dr. Omar Atiq’s deci
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Mr. Clean is Literally Just Branded Melamine Sponges and You Can Buy 100 of Them for Only $13’
A January 19 2021 Facebook screenshot of a January 13 2021 tweet about Mr. Clean Magic Erasers proved hugely popular, advising social media users fond of the product that generic versions were much less expensive and just as effective: Things that I
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Biden’s Bible Have ‘Upside Down Crosses’?
On January 20 2021, the next phase in American disinformation kicked off when an image set of President Joe Biden’s swearing-in circulated — purportedly showing Biden taking an oath on an odd Bible with “upside down crosses”:
Truth or Fiction?→ Is Trump the Only United States President to Have Never Once Hit a 50 Percent Approval Rating?
On January 19 2021, the following screenshot of a tweet appeared on Imgur, featuring claims that outgoing United States President Donald Trump never once went over 50 percent approval during his time in office, and was in fact the “least popular
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Here’s the Letter George H. W. Bush Left Bill Clinton for the First Day of His Presidency’
On January 18 2021, Imgur user SisterMidnight shared an image called, “Here’s the letter George H. W. Bush left Bill Clinton for the first day of his presidency,” with the comment “Classy,” and “I wonder what Presiden
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Before Capitol Rioters Beat an Officer to Death, BLM Protesters Formed a Human Barricade Around a Cop Separated From Other Police’
After a Capitol police officer was beaten to death with a fire extinguisher during the January 6 2021 insurrection, a photograph from 2020 Black Lives Matter protests circulated, which contrasted the death of one officer at the hands of insurrection
Truth or Fiction?→ Was Alex Trebek Listed as Part of Trump’s ‘Garden of American Heroes’?
Two days before the end of his one-term presidency, Donald Trump’s administration released a wide-ranging list of public figures it ordered to be included as statues in its proposed “National Garden of American Heroes” — includ
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Amazon Banned Parler, But Allowed People to Buy This Shirt from Their Website.’
On January 16 2021, a claim about Amazon selling a “Kill All Republicans” shirt went viral as part of backlash over Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) decision to discontinue hosting controversial social media platform Parler. In a tweet, ri
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘BLM Activist’ John Sullivan/JaydenX, Explained
On January 15 2021 Breitbart published an item titled “Leftist Activist Among Those Arrested in Capitol Riot,” asserting “Utah-based left-wing activist” John Sullivan (also known as JaydenX) had been arrested in connection with
Truth or Fiction?→ Was a Florida Teacher Fired for Blaming the Capitol Riot on ‘Antifa’?
A Florida woman was dismissed from working as a substitute teacher for a Florida charter school system after she was caught on video attempting to justify the seditious January 6 2021 attack on the United States Capitol building. The unidentified woma
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Louisiana Floods Destroy Home of Christian Leader Who Says God Sends Natural Disasters to Punish Gay People’
On January 14 2021, an Imgur user shared the following screenshot of a headline (“Louisiana Floods Destroy Home of Christian Leader Who Says God Sends Natural Disasters to Punish Gay People”), in a post titled “Such dramatic way of c
Truth or Fiction?→ House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s ‘Impeachment Dress’ Makes Second Appearance
A January 13 2021 post to Reddit’s r/pics was one of several observing that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s dress appeared to be identical to the one she wore for outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump’s first impeachment on December 19 2
Truth or Fiction?→ Was a ‘Biden Election Official’ Arrested for Voter Fraud in Texas?
Shortly after the arrest of a Texas woman accused of election tampering, right-wing social media users began trying to spin the case into an attack on U.S. President-Elect Joe Biden’s decisive win over outgoing president Donald Trump. Embattled
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Twitter Lose $5 Billion in Value After ‘Banning’ Donald Trump?
Twitter’s permanent removal of outgoing United States President Donald Trump on January 8 2021 created extensive discourse and discussions about the limit of speech in the country; among sub-threads was a claim that his favorite social media pl
Truth or Fiction?→ Does This Photograph Show a Tour Group the Day Before the Capitol Insurrection?
As the United States continued to grapple with a destructive and deadly right-wing riot at the Capitol building on January 6 2021, disturbing stories from Democratic Party lawmakers began to trickle out indicating that some participants may have plann
Truth or Fiction?→ Capitol Police Officer Not Identified in Shooting of Ashli Babbitt
On January 12 2021, the right-wing disinformation site Redpilled.ca spread unverified claims that a Capitol law enforcement officer named David Bailey fired the shot which killed rioter Ashli Babbitt in an incident about which disinformation began c
Truth or Fiction?→ Does Barbie Have a Girlfriend?
In January 2021 tweet, as the United States reeled from attacks and disinformation campaigns, another rumor gained traction: Claims that the popular Mattel doll barbie “has a girlfriend” went viral, spreading in screenshots across social p
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Donald J. Trump’s Term Ended on 2021-01-11 19:49:00’
As Democrats attempted to push for the impeachment of outgoing United States President Donald Trump on January 11 2021, the U.S. State Department’s website drew attention online for apparently listing that day as the end of both his term and tha
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘WH Office of Pardon Attorney’ Parler Post Prompts Justice Department to Issue Statement
Around January 9 2021, in the days after a pro-Trump riot at the United States Capitol building, screenshots of a purported Parler post attributed to @WHPardonAttny (White House Office of Pardon) appeared, soliciting names, locations, and “wha
Truth or Fiction?→ Does Trump Have an OnlyFans Account?
As outgoing United States President Donald Trump and his supporters were locked out of some digital platforms, social media users asked — sometimes derisively — if Trump would open an account on the subscription-based service OnlyFans. Two
Truth or Fiction?→ TeamTrumpNews Parler Post: ‘I Have Invoked the Insurrection Act of 1807’
Around January 10 2020, a screenshot of a post purportedly published by outgoing United States President Donald Trump using @TeamTrumpNews to Parler began to make the rounds across social media platforms: Saw this on FB. It was posted 3 hou