On November 5 2019, a Facebook user shared the following post about actor Lucy Liu, indicating they were “today years old” when they discovered Liu was an accomplished artist under a pseudonym (“Yu Ling”) in addition to her act
Publication: Fact Checks
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Modesto Is Woke,’ ‘Epstein Was Murdered’ Traffic Sign
On November 6 2019, the following post was shared to Reddit’s r/pics, featuring a roadside traffic sign reading “Epstein was murdered” in digitized text: Modesto CA is woke from pics At the time the image was
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Jeff Bezos Cut Whole Foods Workers Benefits as He Bought a Second Mansion?
On November 4 2019, former United States Labor Secretary Robert Reich tweeted that Jeff Bezos was building a mansion in Washington, DC — while at the same time, part-time Whole Foods workers lost their health benefits: Jeff Bezos' D.C. mansio
Truth or Fiction?→ Attempted Voter Suppression in Edison, New Jersey?
On Election Day 2019, a Facebook user shared a photograph alongside a post (archived here) claiming the woman in the photo was an election worker who attempted to prevent someone from voting without identification. In a post, Kristen Vaught Cavuto imp
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘No Escape From Telephones’: Pacific Bell Chief’s 1953 Prediction Sees New Life Online
A telecommunications president’s remarkably far-flung vision for his industry not only gained attention online in 2019, it is actually legitimate. It is likely that Mark R. Sullivan’s remarks at an unidentified April 1953 event were first
Truth or Fiction?→ Was Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi Released by U.S. President Barack Obama?
One day after the October 26 2019 death of Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi al-Qurayshi, Facebook user Linda Jo Law shared a claim (archived here) that the former Islamic State leader had been held at an American prison camp until he was released by United Stat
Truth or Fiction?→ Lyft’s Unclear Terms of Service for Sexual Assault Survivors
Ride-sharing company Lyft came under increased scrutiny online in November 2019 as social media users spotted an apparent discrepancy in its policies regarding its treatment of sexual assault victims. “I think what we saw happen in the last 24,
Truth or Fiction?→ David Bowie Meeting an Child With Autism at ‘Labyrinth’ Premiere
On October 27 2019, Facebook user Micah Daigle shared what appeared on first glance to be a secondhand anecdote about a friend’s touching introduction to David Bowie at a premiere of the film Labyrinth in 1986. A photograph of David Bowie holdi
Truth or Fiction?→ Bill Murray’s Advice on Relationships, If You Think You Found ‘the One’
A long-circulating October 2015 Facebook post for the “92.1 CITI” page featured an image of actor Bill Murray alongside his purported advice on what to do when you think you find “the one”: Text under a photograph of a typi
Truth or Fiction?→ Bride Steals $30k in Wedding Donations Then Asks for More?
On November 4 2019, a Reddit user shared the following thread to r/ChoosingBeggars, asserting they were a Facebook friend to a bride (engaged woman) who had raised $30,000 for a wedding — only to cancel it at the last minute and disclose that she pl
Truth or Fiction?→ All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day in Poland
On November 1 2019, the Facebook page “Witches Night” shared an image set and with it a post claiming that people in Poland — a Catholic majority country — do not celebrate Halloween, instead broadly directing that seasonal attenti
Truth or Fiction?→ Bogus ‘Energy Saver’ Boxes Continue Targeting Online Shoppers
Even for the dodgy nature of online sales, a dubious “product” appears to have rebranded itself in a particularly brazen manner. A reader alerted us in November 2019 about Ökowatt, which claims on its website that to be “used for ec
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Ivanka Trump Quote Thomas Jefferson’s Denial of ‘Something He Did, in Fact, Do’?
In early November 2019, a tweet by Ivanka Trump quoting Thomas Jefferson in defense of her father, United States President Donald Trump alongside a response in screenshot form on Facebook: On October 31 2019, Ivanka Trump tweeted a partial quote:
Truth or Fiction?→ The Economics of Turning Cotton Into Jeans
A long-running graphic illustrating some of the costs of the making a pair of blue jeans has been revived again on Facebook, but unlike many memes that appear and reappear time and again, it is largely accurate. The graphic originated in November 201
Truth or Fiction?→ Could Trump’s Florida Move Qualify Him for a Tax Exemption?
While the motives behind it are unclear, United States President Donald Trump’s decision to claim Florida as his place of residence could put him in line for a tax exemption it shares with a few other states. The president announced at the end
Truth or Fiction?→ Is Halloween 2020 a Saturday With a Full Moon and When the Clocks Go Back?
On Halloween in 2020, a meme circulated on Facebook about purported features of Halloween 2020: Alongside a post suggesting Halloween “2020 could be a little crazy,” a screenshot of a text-based status update meme read: Next Halloween:
Truth or Fiction?→ Does Adding Your Birth Year to Your Age Total The Year Number Once a Millennium?
In September 2019, a social media post shared the following math meme, claiming that a numerical rarity in 2019 made it so that “all the people are the same age,” and that no one could explain the anomaly: What appeared to be a literal s
Truth or Fiction?→ Have Gender Reveal Parties Killed More People Than Anti-Fascists?
On October 31 2019, a Facebook page shared a text-based status update asserting that gender reveals had caused more deaths than antifascist protesters, popularly referred to as “antifa”: That status update appeared to reference a gender
Truth or Fiction?→ Seattle November 3 2019 False Flag Attack Rumor
Rumors of a “false flag” terror attack in Seattle on November 3 2019 spiked in popularity in specific shadowy corners of social media in late October 2019, although by that point, the highly specious claims were several weeks old. A Septem
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Forensic Pathologist Say That Jeffrey Epstein’s Death Looks More Like Homicide Than Suicide?
On October 30 2019, media and its social counterpart were awash in a bombshell claim that a pathologist said that Jeffrey Epstein’s death looked more like a homicide than a suicide: Jeffrey Epstein's autopsy shows signs of homicide, not su
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘The Purest Form of Human Trafficking’
A disturbing October 2019 story out of Arizona’s Maricopa County prompted readers to ask us whether it was legitimate: An Arizona elected official ran a human smuggling scheme that promised pregnant women thousands of dollars to lure them fro
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Ears are Straight, Fawn is Great, Ears are Curled, Fawn is Alone in the World’ Wildlife Rescue Meme
In October 2019, the Facebook page “Wild Souls Wildlife Rescue and Rehab” shared a following meme advising people to leave fawns with straight ears alone, because “curled ears” are indicative that a young deer has been abando
Truth or Fiction?→ The Kidnapping Story Being Used to Sell a Flashlight
The TC1200 flashlight might be a quality item — but the advertising around it leaves several questions unanswered. A Facebook video promoting the product in October 2019 bases its ad on the story of a law enforcement officer named John McKnight. How
Truth or Fiction?→ Trick-Or-Treating at an ‘Old Folks Home’ Facebook PSA
On October 27 2019, the Facebook page “Mommy&Kids” shared a status update meme against a spooky-themed background, advising parents of “littles” to spend some of their Halloween evening trick-or-treating at an “old f
Truth or Fiction?→ Does McKamey Manor Award $20,000 to Successful ‘Extreme Haunted/Horror House’ Attendees?
In late October 2019, a number of news organizations ran stories essentially advertising an “extreme haunted house” known as McKamey Manor, widely reporting that anyone who successfully endured the attraction would be awarded $20,000 by it
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Game of Thrones’ Showrunners’ Panel Gets Internet Attention for the Wrong Reasons
An appearance by the showrunners behind the recently-concluded series Game of Thrones drew heavy attention online on October 26 2019 through an unofficial source covering the event on Twitter: David is describing the pre-meeting with GRRM who was que
Truth or Fiction?→ The Sad Backstory of the ‘Woman Yelling at a Cat’ Meme
On October 26 2019, a Facebook user shared a PSA involving the popular meme often called “woman yelling at a cat,” stating that the image’s ubiquity led them to research the origins of the image: After seeing this image on many diffe
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Lonely? Don’t Be. Demodex is the Name of a Mite that Lives on Your Face. Friends Forever!’ Meme
On October 25 2019, the Facebook page “Cheerful Nihilism” shared the following meme, purportedly depicting a Demodex mite, which according to the meme lives on human faces: Above an apparent illustration of an alien-like insect, text r
Truth or Fiction?→ The Most Chilling Mushrooms in the World — the Charms of the Fungi Kingdom
On August 14 2019, the Facebook page “Freaked” shared the following post of the “most chilling mushrooms” in the world, a post that became popular ahead of Halloween that year: Above four purported examples of mushrooms (an
Truth or Fiction?→ Hospital’s ‘$39.95 Fee to Hold a Baby’ Controversy
On October 19 2019, a Facebook page shared the following screenshot of a tweet, including what looked to be a hospital bill with a $39.95 charge for “skin to skin contact” after a mother’s cesarean section: In the original tweet w
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Smart Car Owner Park His Auto Inside His Kitchen to Avoid Hurricane Damage?
Even for social media, a snapshot of a Florida man’s zeal for hurricane preparedness was recycled seemingly within hours, and wound up getting online traction on two different platforms. Jessica Eldridge first gained attention online on Septembe
Truth or Fiction?→ Conservative Versus Liberal, ‘Taken at a California Public High School This Year’ Meme
In October 2018, Facebook user Matt Gaelitz shared a slide titled “Conservative vs. Liberal” along with a status update: Taken at a California public high school this year. This is what indoctrination is all about. On June 4 2018, the same
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘University of Oxford Clapping Ban’ Rumor
In October 2019, a number of tabloids claimed that the University of Oxford had “banned clapping,” a move made at the behest of “snowflakes” made “anxious” by applause. The Daily Mail was one of those outlets, repo
Truth or Fiction?→ Soccer Player’s Hijab Slips, Opponents Stop Playing to Help Her Cover Her Hair?
On October 24 2019, author Glennon Doyle shared the following video, which purportedly shows the moment a football (or soccer) player’s opposing team rushes to assist her when her hijab begins slipping: Doyle summarized her reaction to the vi
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Mississippi Man Hack His Way Into Helping ‘Food Stamp’ Recipients?
A persistent meme that resurfaced on October 23 2019 about a modern-day Robin Hood is in reality a prank posted by someone out of “social media fun.” The graphic shows a photograph of a man besides a Fox News logo, accompanied by a short d
Truth or Fiction?→ A Friendly Reminder Children Need a Lanyard to Trick or Treat in Nichols Hills?
On October 23 2019, an Imgur screenshot purportedly showed a post to Reddit’s r/okc, containing a “friendly reminder that your children must have a resident’s lanyard to Trick or Treat in Nichols Hills”: Originally posted one
Truth or Fiction?→ Did New York State Kick 26,000 Students out of School Over Vaccinations — Only to Still Have Chickenpox Cases?
On October 19 2019, a Facebook user shared a letter sent by a Rocky Point, New York school district concerning reported cases of chickenpox, along with a list of its symptoms and other information about the virus: Alongside the letter (dated October
Truth or Fiction?→ What Is a SCIF and Why Does It Matter?
On October 23 2019, the term “SCIF” trended abruptly on Twitter with chatter about the purported actions of some House Republicans as they disrupted testimony about the United States reportedly withholding financial aid to Ukraine: A prote
Truth or Fiction?→ Jewish Prisoners Liberated from a Train in Madgeburg in April 1945
On October 22 2019 a Reddit user shared the following image to r/pics, purportedly depicting a moment during World War II when Jewish prisoners learned they had been liberated from a train traveling to a death camp: This is such a powerful
Truth or Fiction?→ ’71-Year-Old Man Waiting Up at 2AM to Welcome Three American Hostages’ Meme
In late September 2019, Facebook user Pedro Paul Saldaña shared the following meme, which claimed an appended image depicted President Donald Trump aboard Air Force One waiting to greet freed American hostages: The text on the meme read: A 71 year o