As efforts to locate a “missing submersible” operated by OceanGate Expeditions continued on June 21 2023, the Twitter account @OceanGateExpeds published several viral tweets. The account was eventually suspended, but not before putting out
Publication: fake tweets
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘You Must Remove the 🇺🇦 From Your Profile’ Twitter Pop-Up
On February 25 2023, Twitter user @walter_report shared a screenshot of a Twitter pop-up warning, which purportedly demanded that the account “remove the  [Ukrainian flag emoji]” from their profile: You can’t be serious, @elonmusk? N
Truth or Fiction?→ Marjorie Taylor Greene ‘Dragons and Dinosaurs’ Tweet
In late February 2023, screenshots of a particularly bizarre tweet about dinosaurs and dragons attributed to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) circulated on Reddit and Twitter: Since @RepMTG deleted this tweet, I decided to repost it for clarit
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘This Tweet Large Marge Wrote Should Get Her Kicked Out of Congress’
During and after U.S. President Joe Biden’s February 8 2023 State of the Union address, “Large Marge” was a Twitter trend, referencing an outburst by far right conspiracy theorist Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) at the event.
Truth or Fiction?→ Donald Trump and Bob Woodward ‘Depends’ Tweet
On January 31 2023, a screenshot purportedly of a tweet by journalist Bob Woodward disclosing information about former United States President Donald Trump’s “Depends” [sic] appeared on Imgur: At the top of the image, the name “
Truth or Fiction?→ Rep. Liz Cheney ‘Message to Trump’ Tweet
On September 26 2022, an Imgur account shared a screenshot of a tweet attributed to Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming): Lol Alongside the post, the Imgur submitter included a link to a September 26 2022 set of tweets. Elements like links to tweets are often
Truth or Fiction?→ Fake AOC ‘Electric Cars’ Tweet Resurfaced in Hurricane Ian Discourse
On September 26 2022, as Hurricane Ian entered the news cycle, screenshots of a tweet attributed to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) about gas station lines and electric cars circulated — again: pic.twitter.com/JzsnKOcPWF — MAGA
Truth or Fiction?→ Candace Owens’ Ivermectin Fox News Tweet
On May 16 2022, Twitter user @BagdMilkSoWhat shared a purported screenshot of a tweet by right-wing pundit and disinformation purveyor Candace Owens, retweeting a Fox News tweet about parasite medication ivermectin causing incontinence: Oops #ShitCan
Truth or Fiction?→ Lauren Boebert ‘Severe Thunderstorm Watch’ Tweet
On May 16 2022, a screenshot of a purported tweet attributed to Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colorado) circulated, pinning the blame for a “severe thunderstorm watch” in New York to the policies of United States President Joe Biden: @laurenboeb
Truth or Fiction?→ Becky Lynn Paige ‘Parents Divorce Due to Medical Debt’ Tweet
On May 12 2022, an Imgur account shared a purported screenshot of a tweet by a woman who said that her parents had divorced after 52 years — so that her mother would not inherit her father’s medical debt after his death: On a patterned ba
Truth or Fiction?→ Ben Shapiro ‘Look How Beautiful My Sister Looks’ Tweet
On February 18 2022, a screenshot of a purported Ben Shapiro tweet (“Look at how beautiful my sister looks”) was shared to Imgur: Atop two apparent photographs of Shapiro’s sister Abby, the tweet read: Look at how beautiful my sister
Truth or Fiction?→ Jim Cramer ‘Have Fun Being Poor’ Tweet
On January 25 2022, screenshots of a purported tweet by CNBC’s Jim Cramer circulated on stock trading subreddits — in which he was quoted as saying “Have fun being poor”: I don’t need your permission for that lol I
Truth or Fiction?→ Betty White ‘Donald Trump’ Veterans Day Tweet
On November 11 2021, a screenshot of a tweet attributed to Betty White spread virally, in which she purportedly stated her opinions on former United States President Donald Trump and the late senator John McCain: Betty White's Veteran's Day p
Truth or Fiction?→ Ben Shapiro ‘Wife’s Bedroom’ Columbus Day Tweet
An October 11 2021 tweet featured a purported Twitter screenshot, which was attributed to Ben Shapiro and mentioned his “wife’s bedroom” and “Columbus Day”: pic.twitter.com/YUqBJgI3NB — Michael Kofi A.||♤ (@MikeK
Truth or Fiction?→ Charlie Kirk ‘Cure’ Tweet
On October 3 2021, a tweet attributed to Charlie Kirk appeared on the subreddit r/HermanCainAward — purportedly proposing an alternative cure for COVID-19: Charlie Kirk discovers a cure for Covid that the mainstream medical establishme
Truth or Fiction?→ Candace Owens ‘Cough Into My Fist’ Tweet
On September 3 2021, an Imgur user uploaded a purported tweet by right-wing pundit and frequent disinformation purveyor Candace Owens, quoting her as saying if  “a leftist doctor” refused to administer a test, she would cough in her hand a
Truth or Fiction?→ Bill Nye ‘There’s Already Enough Plastic in the Ocean’ Response Tweet
On August 16 2021, the Facebook page “Super News Supes” shared a screenshot in which science educator Bill Nye purportedly made a misogynistic comment about Kylie Jenner in a screenshot that was circulating as early as July 9 2019: In th
Truth or Fiction?→ @KaitMarieox ‘Might Just Start Wearing A Mask Again … Wouldn’t Want To Give Off The Impression That I’m A Vaccinated Democrat’ Tweet
On May 17 2021 screenshots of a purported tweet from Kaitlin Bennett (@KaitMarieox) circulated, in which she purportedly stated that she might start “wearing a mask again” to avoid the impression she was a “vaccinated Democrat”:
Truth or Fiction?→ Ben Shapiro ‘My #Redpill Moment’ Tweet
A March 27 2021 Facebook post purportedly featured a tweet from commentator Ben Shapiro, in which he described experiencing what he called his “#redpill moment” at age seven during a birthday at school: The tweet, which was dated March 26 2
Truth or Fiction?→ Ted Cruz Didn’t Tweet ‘I’ll Believe in Climate Change When Texas Freezes Over’
As Republican senator Ted Cruz came under fire for fleeing a freezing Texas for Cancun in February 2021, memes could be found all over social media — among them a screenshot of a purported tweet in which Cruz was quoted as saying he would beli
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?→ No, Rudy Giuliani Didn’t Say People Got ‘China Virus’ by ‘Having Sex with Barnyard Animals’
On December 6 2020, news broke that Rudy Giuliani — the former New York City mayor, Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, and post-election spectacle — tested positive for COVID-19. Almost immediately, screenshots of a purported tweet by G
Truth or Fiction?→ Neera Tanden Didn’t Tweet ‘Hitler Was Certainly Controversial But No One Gives Him Proper Credit for Fighting to the Death Against Communism’
On December 1 2020, a fabricated tweet attributed to Neera Tanden began circulating, which read, “Hitler was certainly controversial but nobody gives him proper credit for fighting to the death against Communism”: .@neeratanden, WHAT pic
Truth or Fiction?→ Trump ‘It Was a TUCK!’ Tweet
On October 21 2020, Twitter user @TeaPainUSA (and many others) shared the following screenshot, which was purportedly a tweet from United States President Donald Trump on the matter of his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani’s just-revealed interactio
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘My Blood IS the Vaccine’ Tweet
On October 9 2020, as speculation mounted about United States President Donald Trump’s health following his COVID-19 diagnosis, a purported tweet circulated in screenshot form: The alleged tweet, which was dated October 5 2020, said simply,
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Trump Tweet That the Supreme Court ‘Should Decide the Presidency at Every Election’ and ‘Bad Votes’ Shouldn’t Count?
On September 24 2020, a Facebook user shared a purported screenshot of a tweet by United States President Donald Trump in which he purportedly said that the Supreme Court “should decide the presidency at every election”: A date and timest
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Donald Trump Tweet in 2016 That President Obama Should Wait to Pick a New Supreme Court Justice or ‘Be Fired’?
After the September 2020 death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, amidst the chatter of a possible replacement and what that might mean for the future of the United States, a screenshot of a tweet began circulating which attributed commenta
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Nick Jonas Tweet That It’s ‘Weird’ He Sings Songs About Sexy Ladies with His Brothers?
On August 12 2020 a screenshot was shared to Facebook, purporting to show a genuine Twitter thread in which Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers wondered aloud whether it was “weird” to “sing about sexy ladies” with your brothers:
Truth or Fiction?→ Did U.S. President Donald Trump Tweet That Obama Didn’t ‘Prepair’ for the Coronavirus Pandemic?
On May 12 2020, a screenshot of a purported tweet from United States President Donald Trump circulated — in which he purportedly lashed out at Barack Obama and said that his predecessor didn’t “prepair” for the coronavirus pa
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Donald Trump Criticize ‘Obama’s Handling of This Pandemic’ in November 2009?
In mid-April 2020, screenshots of a tweet attributed to United States President Donald Trump on November 23 2009 began circulating, in which he purportedly criticized then-President Barack Obama’s handling of the H1N1 (also called swine flu) pan
Truth or Fiction?→ Did John Kerry Tweet and Delete a ‘F***ing’ Denial That He Intended to Run for President?
On February 3 2020, Twitter briefly lit up with delight over apparent swears from the normally sanguine John Kerry, who had purportedly taken to Twitter to state that any rumors that he planned a 2020 presidential run were “fucking (or categor
Truth or Fiction?→ Did JK Rowling Respond to ‘No One Should Live in a Closet’ Tattoo with ‘Yes They Should’?
On January 25 2020, Twitter user @iknownaama tweeted the following image, a purported screenshot of JK Rowling reacting to a pro-LGBT tattoo (“no one should live in a closet”) by saying “yes they should”: so did the simulatio
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Fans Contract Herpes from Belle Delphine’s Bathwater?
In July 2019 Instagram cosplayer Belle Delphine offered her bathwater for sale, news of which was quickly followed by a rumor that purchasers were afflicted with herpes after drinking it. Prior to that story appearing, Insider reported: Belle Delphin
Truth or Fiction?→ Did the President Tweet in Support of a Covington Catholic Student?
On January 19 2019, Covington Catholic student Nick Sandmann was named in a viral video after a clip of his interaction with Native American activist Nathan Phillips at the National Mall spread across social media. In the ensuing controversy, a tweet
Truth or Fiction?→ Is Rashida Tlaib’s ‘Raping and Pillaging… What Goes Around Comes Around’ Tweet Real?
In January 2019, a tweet attributed to Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib began circulating in questionable screenshot-only form on Twitter and Facebook: Dated January 4, 2019, it read: Americans have spent decades raping and pillaging my people. What goes a
Snopes→ Did Donald Trump Say the Sitting President Should Be Impeached If the Dow Jones Loses 1,000 Points in Two Days?
A viral October 2018 tweet has all the hallmarks of a fake.
Snopes→ Did Fired FBI Agent Peter Strzok Tweet That President Trump is a ‘Dictator,’ a ‘Russian Asset,’ and an ‘Unhinged Madman?’
A parody account in Strzok's name issued the combative tweet in the wake of the FBI agent's firing for sending text messages critical of President Trump.
Snopes→ Did Melania Trump Spell ‘HELP’ in a Tweet?
An artist's satirical post about the First Lady circulated online, eventually spreading without his name attached to the joke.
Snopes→ Did Samuel L. Jackson Tweet About Overpaid ‘Modern Mumble Rappers’ and Teachers’ Pay?
A poorly-formatted purported Twitter quote attributed to the actor is just a hoax.
Snopes→ Did Joy Behar Publish a Crude Tweet About a Fire at Trump Tower?
Shortly after a fatal fire at Trump Tower, a fake tweet attributed to Joy Behar of 'The View' began circulating on social media.