An October 12 2020 article headlined “Kwik Trip Launches Kwik Strip Gentlemen’s Clubs” was predictably a hit on social media, purportedly heralding a new gentleman’s club venture from the convenience store chain: Kwik Tr
Publication: Fake-News
Truth or Fiction?→ A Morgue Worker Was Not Arrested for Giving Birth to a Dead Man’s Baby
In October 2020, a purported news article — generally bearing the headline, “Morgue worker arrested after giving birth to a dead man’s baby” — began circulating in Facebook groups and on Twitter: W. T. F. I have so many que
Truth or Fiction?→ A Morgue Worker Was Not Arrested for Giving Birth to a Dead Man’s Baby
In October 2020, a purported news article — generally bearing the headline, “Morgue worker arrested after giving birth to a dead man’s baby” — began circulating in Facebook groups and on Twitter: W. T. F. I have so many que
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Louisiana Man Drop Dead Moments After Calling a Woman a Racial Epithet?
In September 2020, what looked like a news article about a Louisiana man who instantly died after using a racial slur to insult a woman went viral across social media platforms: "No one who knew the woman personally spoke to reporters nor th
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Kenosha Car Dealer Kills Himself After His Insurance Won’t Cover a Cent of the 2.5 Million Dollars of Damages’ Caused by BLM Protests
On September 9 2020, a screenshot of a fabricated Fox Business article headlined “Kenosha car dealer kills himself after his insurance won’t cover a cent of the 2.5 million dollars of damages caused by the riots” was shared to meme a
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Oklahoma City Police Shoot Each Other Trying to Shoot a Black Teenager?
In early August 2020, what looked like a news item about Oklahoma police officers accidentally shooting at one another while “trying to shoot a black teenager” spread on Facebook and Twitter: Two Oklahoma City Police Department officers
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Stats Canada Report That Not One Baby Has Been Named Karen Since November 2019?
On August 5 2020, a popular Imgur post appeared to show a headline reporting that not one baby in Canada had been named “Karen” since November 13 2019: Well that was unexpected and quite hilarious. Name choice dropped due to a meme. On I
Truth or Fiction?→ Pedophile’s Decapitated Corpse Not Found on Judge’s Doorstep After Bail Hearing
On July 26 2020, what appeared to be a shocking local news story (headline: “Pedophile’s Decapitated Corpse Found On Judge’s Doorstep After Bail Hearing In Ocala, Florida”) began circulating on Facebook and Twitter: It's times li
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Ivanka Trump Accuse Dr. Anthony Fauci of Trying to Make Her Father Look Incompetent?
In mid-July 2020 a link circulated on social media, appearing to be an article reporting that Ivanka Trump had accused Dr. Anthony Fauci of trying to make her father, United States President Donald Trump, “look incompetent”: Ivanka Says
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Daughter of MLK and Coretta Scott King Posted This Advice as the Next Six Months are Going to Get Real’
In July 2020, a short post of advice bullet points attributed to Bernice King (daughter of Coretta Scott King and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) began circulating, reading as follows: Daughter of MLK and Coretta Scott King posted this advice, as the nex
Poynter→ Brazilian fact-checkers warn their country’s ‘fake news’ bill will do more harm than good
Brazilian fact-checkers said a bill passed Tuesday intended to combat disinformation will create a massive surveillance network and make it more difficult to do their work. “The Brazilian Law on Freedom, Responsibility and Transparency on the Int
Hoax-Slayer→ FAKE-NEWS ALERT: Japanese Professor Tasuku Honjo Did NOT Say That Coronavirus Was Made by China
According to a post that is currently circulating rapidly on social media, Nobel Prize-winning Japanese physician-scientist Professor Tasuku Honjo has told media outlets that coronavirus is not natural and that it was made by China. The post FAKE-NEWS
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Belgium’s Health Minister Ban ‘Non-Essential Sexual Activities of Three or More’ Due to Coronavirus Concerns?
Amid a worldwide COVID-19 crisis on March 21 2020, a headline circulated — “Belgium Health Minister Puts Ban On Non-essential Sexual Activities Of Persons 3 Or Greater In Indoor Areas.” Often spreading without a link, occasionally th
Truth or Fiction?→ Tennessee State Legislature’s Bill to Recognize CNN, Washington Post as ‘Fake News’
On February 11 2020, tweets and social media posts alluded to “an actual bill” in the state of Tennessee, aimed at labeling CNN and the Washington Post as “fake news”: This is an ACTUAL Bill being debated by the Tennessee St
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a ‘Drunk Crop Duster’ Pilot Dump 4 Tons of Manure over Kansas?
In December 2019, myriad Facebook posts shared an article claiming that a “drunk crop duster” pilot spread four tons of manure across Kansas: El Dorado, Kansas | An agricultural airplane pilot made a serious mistake this morning while oper
Hoax-Slayer→ No, Duane Chapman (Dog the Bounty Hunter) is NOT Dead
According to posts that are currently circulating via social media websites American reality TV star Duane Chapman (Dog the Bounty Hunter) has died. The post No, Duane Chapman (Dog the Bounty Hunter) is NOT Dead appeared first on Hoax-Slayer.
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Two Altar Boys Arrested for Putting Weed in the Censer Burner’ Claim
In September 2019, a number of social media users shared an article claiming two altar boys had been arrested for “putting weed in the censer-burner”: What started as a joke ended with the future of two altar boys from Spain. They were det
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Teenager Sexually Stimulate Himself 56 Times Straight Before Dying of a Heart Attack?
In September 2019, a number of people tweeted an apparent news article headlined: “Teen Masturbated 56 Times Straight Before Dying of Heart Attack”: So the limit is 55.https://t.co/6dhCnh6tSj — Nathorix (@Nathorix) September 23, 20
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Man’s Co-Workers Inadvertently Pose with a ‘Sleeping’ Corpse?
On September 20 2019, a Facebook page shared the following screenshot of a purported headline: “Man suffers heart attack, dies at work, coworkers gather for group selfie thinking he’d fallen asleep”: In an appended status update,
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Pastor Die After 30 Days of Fasting to Beat Jesus Christ’s Record?
In September 2019, an article with the headline “Pastor Dies After 30 Days of Fasting To Beat Jesus Record” appeared in several Facebook groups and users’ feeds: A South African pastor, Alfred Ndlovu has died of malnutrition after go
Truth or Fiction?→ Is the Hotel Closest To Area 51 Fully Booked for the ‘Storm Area 51’ Event?
Buzz about the viral “Storm Area 51” Facebook event continued through July 2019, including an article on a site called AnonNews.co about a flurry of hotel bookings for the venue nearest the famed military installation: Despite the warnings
Truth or Fiction?→ Was Lil Nas X Dropped by Wrangler After He Came Out as Gay?
On July 1 2019, country hip-hop musician Montero Lamar Hill — better known as Lil Nas X — published tweets subtly alluding to his sexual orientation: Two hours [after tweeting about a UK appearance], the Atlanta-born [Lil Nas X] and arguably the n
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Pat Robertson Claim He Had a Vision of Jesus with an AK-47 in Camo, Signaling the Second Coming?
In April 2019, a story spread on social media about a purported vision experienced by televangelist Pat Robertson regarding Jesus’ return — complete with an AK-47 and camo clothing: Linked here was an April 6 2019 item from The Business Sta
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Franklin Graham Say Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Has a ‘Satanic Background’?
In February 2019, an article from Business Standard News (BS News) contained the claim that evangelist Franklin Graham accused Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of coming from a “Satanic background”: We can’t go a day without some right-wi
Hoax-Slayer→ Four Ways That Fake-News Sites Trick People Into Believing and Sharing
Many fake-news websites have appeared online in recent years. And more seem to be springing up all the time. The post Four Ways That Fake-News Sites Trick People Into Believing and Sharing appeared first on Hoax-Slayer.
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Muslim Principal Ban Crucifixes in a Virginia School?
On January 30 2019, Facebook page “The Blacksphere” shared the following meme, purportedly depicting a Virginia principal named Mamasai Mamakusa: The meme was likely outrage-bait which implied that the nonexistent principal’s hijab c
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Man Lose His Penis to Frostbite After Urinating Outside During a Cold Snap?
In early February 2019, the Facebook page Sexy Atheists shared a link to an article titled “Chicago Man Loses His Penis To Frostbite After Peeing Outside,” which appeared to report: The bitter cold in Chicago has kept hospitals busy, with
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Man Get $20,000 of Surgery to Look Like Jesus Christ?
In late January 2019, an article appearing to report that a man spent $20,000 on surgery to look more like Jesus Christ began circulating on Facebook: A 30-year old man from Kentucky underwent some radical plastic surgery in order to physically resemb
Truth or Fiction?→ Was a Mother Arrested After Leaving Kids in the Car for Nine Hours at a Buffet?
A September 2018 World News Daily Report item titled “Mother arrested for leaving children in the car for 9 hours while at all-you-can-eat buffet” circulates regularly on Facebook. The story has a mugshot that purports to show the mother in
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Preacher Say Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Was ‘Summoning Demons’ by Dancing?
On January 25 2019, the Facebook page “Pass The 28th Amendment (Complete Removal Of The Church From The State)” shared a news article about a preacher who purportedly claimed that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) was “summo
Snopes→ Fake Print Editions of Washington Post Distributed in Washington, D. C.
An impostor newspaper designed to resemble the Washington Post was distributed around downtown Washington, D.C.
Hoax-Slayer→ FAKE-NEWS: ‘Whale Found in Utah Field’
Circulating report describes the mysterious discovery of a dead whale in a Utah dairy farmer's field. The post FAKE-NEWS: ‘Whale Found in Utah Field’ appeared first on Hoax-Slayer.
Hoax-Slayer→ Fake-News Report Claims That Body Of Homeless Man Was Bob Marley
Circulating report claims that when Jamaican authorities conducted DNA tests on the body of a homeless man found behind a fast food restaurant, they discovered that the man was actually reggae star Bob Marley. The post Fake-News Report Claims That Body
Truth or Fiction?→ How to Slow the Spread of Disinformation: A Guide for Newsrooms
Every day, a new fake story emerges with the power to affect policy or further corrode relationships, from interpersonal to international. This is corrosive disinformation, as different from garden-variety scams and hoaxes as a molehill is from a mount
Hoax-Slayer→ Fake-News Story Claims Millions of Turkeys Recalled Due to Avian Virus
Circulating report claims that millions of Thanksgiving turkeys have been recalled by the CDC because of concerns that they may harbour an avian virus. The post Fake-News Story Claims Millions of Turkeys Recalled Due to Avian Virus appeared first on Ho
Truth or Fiction?→ Facebook Spread Fake News, Hired ‘Trackers’ to Smear Critics
In mid-November 2018, the New York Times published a bombshell report about Facebook that convulsed both traditional and social media. The beleaguered site has been at the center of scandal after fake news scandal from the mass displacement and genocid
Hoax-Slayer→ Hoax – ‘Giant Skeleton Discovered In Bulgaria’
Circulating 'news' report claims that archaeologists have unearthed a giant human skeleton in Bulgaria. The report features a picture depicting the skeleton with the archaeologists. The post Hoax – ‘Giant Skeleton Discovered In BulgariaR
Hoax-Slayer→ Fake-News Story Claims AriZona Tea Contains Human Urine
According to a circulating 'news' report, America's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently investigated popular US beverage maker AriZona Tea and discovered that human urine is used as an active ingredient in the company's products. The post Fake-
Snopes→ Are Michigan Police Worried About a ‘Vigilante’ Serial Killer of Pedophiles?
Fake local news sites spread junk news about a supposed serial killer targeting pedophiles.