On July 11 2021, a Facebook account shared Tumblr screenshots to a public group which purportedly excerpted a ribald verse that included phrases familiar to the modern ear, including “this wenche thikke” and “I wol nat lye” fro
Publication: TruthOrFiction
Truth or Fiction?→ Rep. Matt Gaetz Says if Democrats Pass Voting Bill, Republicans Will ‘Never Win Another Election’
On July 18 2021, the Facebook page “Call to Activism” shared the following quote meme, claiming that Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) said that if Democrats pass “their voting rights bill,” then Republicans will “never win anot
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Hundreds of Cars Are Lined Up Along Hwy 18 Into Mission, South Dakota as the Remains of Native Children Were Returned to Their Homelands’
On July 17 2021, a photograph described as showing “Hundreds of cars … lined up along Hwy 18 into Mission, South Dakota as the remains of Native children were returned to their homelands” was posted to Facebook, echoing a tweet from t
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Canadian Peanut Butter’ Packaging
On July 12 2020, a Facebook account shared a cropped Twitter screenshot, purportedly showing what Canadian peanut butter packaging looks like: An image of a styrofoam tray (akin to meat packaging) containing peanut butter was appended, and the text re
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Captain America 31 Years Ago’
On July 15 2021. an Imgur account shared a Twitter screenshot, purportedly depicting Captain America “31 years ago” — or, as of 2021, in 1990: Dean Cain: I can’t believe they just made Captain America all woke and criticizing the
Truth or Fiction?→ Facebook’s Reshuffling of Data Tool Worries Researchers and Collaborators
A New York Times column on Facebook’s actions against the data analysis tool CrowdTangle prompted concern from both independent researchers and at least one group collaborating with the platform. According to Kevin Roose, a tech columnist for the
Truth or Fiction?→ Were Cooks the Largest Occupational Group to Die in the Pandemic?
On July 14 2021, an Imgur user shared a screenshot of a tweet claiming, in part, that “cooks were the largest occupational group to die in a pandemic”: I wish Anthony Bourdain were alive today to articulate the insanity of living in a cou
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘This Picture Was Taken in 1925, Of a Girl Visiting Her Twin Sisters Grave’
On July 14 2021, a Facebook account shared the following image and explanation to a Facebook group; it purportedly showed an image taken in 1925 of a girl at a cemetery visiting the grave of her deceased twin sister: This picture was taken in 1925. It
Truth or Fiction?→ National Kool Aid Day 2021 and Mike Lindell’s ‘Trump Return’ Claim
On July 14 2021, a graphic appeared on Imgur claiming that MyPillow chief executive officer Mike Lindell says that former United States President Donald Trump will be “reinstated” as president despite resoundingly losing to Democratic Par
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Friendly Roast in 2015,’ ‘HRC Being Roasted’
In July 2021, a TikTok video was shared to Facebook, bearing the labels “Friendly Roast in 2015” and “HRC Being Roasted” — purportedly showing former U.S. President Donald Trump “roasting” former Democratic pre
Truth or Fiction?→ Anti-Vaccine Disinformation Campaign Echoes ‘Doctor’s Plot’ Rhetoric
An ongoing medical disinformation campaign took a sharp turn in July 2021, when right-wing commentators and politicians pivoted to direct attacks against continued efforts by the Biden administration to get more Americans vaccinated against COVID-19. T
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Victoria’s Secret Meltdown’ Video
“Get away from me” trended on Twitter on July 13 2021, after a woman named Ijeoma Ukenta filmed a bizarre encounter with a woman named Abigail Elphick in a New Jersey Victoria’s Secret store. Ukenta first shared a multi-part video of
Truth or Fiction?→ Jaleel White and ‘Purple Urkel’
On July 7 2021, a Facebook account shared a screenshot a post and image featuring “Purple Urkel,” a strain of cannabis purportedly being promoted by Jaleel White of Family Matters and Snoop Dogg: Never did I ever think I would see Jaleel
Truth or Fiction?→ Finland Reindeer Reflective Paint Posts
On July 10 2021 the Facebook group Illusions featured a striking image, purportedly depicting reindeer in Finland whose antlers are painted with reflective paint in order to prevent collisions with cars: An appended status update from a group member r
Truth or Fiction?→ Albert Einstein Lecturing a Black College Facebook Post
In February and May 2021, Facebook users shared a photograph of Albert Einstein along with a quote — “The separation of races is not a disease of colored people but a disease of white people. I do not intend to be quiet about it”: Not
Truth or Fiction?→ OGX DMDM Hydantoin Facebook Post
On July 5 2021, a Facebook account shared a post warning people about OGX brand shampoo and DMDM hydantoin, writing: **UPDATED** If you are not aware, these are some of the OGX shampoos that Johnson & Johnson is being sued over. They have a chemica
Truth or Fiction?→ Biden Admin HHS Secretary’s ‘Absolutely the Government’s Business’ Vaccine Remarks
On July 8 2021, a number of partisan outlets asserted that Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra said it was “‘absolutely the government’s business’ what medical decisions you make for yourself and your famil
Truth or Fiction?→ SF Gay Men’s Chorus ‘Convert Your Children’ Song
On July 8 2021, Dinesh D’Souza tweeted and published a Rumble.com video with “SF Gay Men’s Chorus Literally Sings ‘We’re Coming for Your Children'”: SF Gay Men's Chorus Literally Sings "We're Coming f
Truth or Fiction?→ Darnella Frazier’s Uncle Killed by Minneapolis Police
On July 7 2021, an Imgur account shared a tweet with a Facebook screenshot attributed to Darnella Frazier, who disclosed that her uncle was struck and killed by police in Minneapolis: Hold on hold on The innocent bystander who got killed today by MP
Truth or Fiction?→ Wi Spa Weaponized Disinformation Campaign
In late June and early July 2021, far-right activists attempted to launch a new disinformation campaign in the wake of a viral video of a woman harassing staff at a traditional public bathhouse in an historic Los Angeles neighborhood The video, which w
Truth or Fiction?→ The Pledge of Allegiance Was Adopted in 1923, the Star Spangled Banner Was Adopted in 1929 …
A June 2021 Facebook “historical facts” meme included imagery of the United States’ Founding Fathers, alongside other claims about when the country adopted specific acts of public patriotism: The text at the bottom of the meme addres
Truth or Fiction?→ Is Rebecca Washington Replacing Sha’Carri Richardson on the U.S. Olympic Team?
A pseudonymous Twitter account picked up the story of Sha’Carri Richardson’s exclusion from the U.S. Olympic team to spin up a rumor that quickly went viral. The post, which came from a Twitter account called the Victory News Network, said
Truth or Fiction?→ Federal Investigation Underway After LAPD Detonates Explosive Cache in Residential Area
Federal officials have opened an investigation into the Los Angeles Police Department’s handling of a trove of allegedly illegal fireworks that led to at least 17 people — including several law enforcement officers — being injured in
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘U.S. Quietly Slips Out Of Afghanistan In Dead Of Night’ Onion Story
On July 6 2021, Twitter user @SIGSYS published two screenshots, one a satirical headline from The Onion in July 2011 about the United States having “quietly slip[ped] out of Afghanistan in [the] dead of night,” and a July 2021 Associated
Truth or Fiction?→ Donald Rumsfeld and Mount Misery
A July 1 2021 Facebook image of an unassuming house was shared after the death of former United States Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, alongside a post and video link claiming that the Bush administration official purchased and had lived at a place
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘The History of Left-Handedness’
A June 30 2021 tweet (part of discourse about transgender youth) referenced a “left-handedness chart,” as a rhetorical response to questions about why there were “suddenly” “so many” gay, transgender, and non-binary
Truth or Fiction?→ Walmart ‘National Anthem’ Video
On July 3 2021, a Facebook account shared a video which purportedly showed a “spontaneous” rendition of the national anthem, performed by shoppers at a Walmart in Haslet, Texas: Alongside the video, the original poster added: Very Patriot
Truth or Fiction?→ Why Bill Cosby Was Released
A June 30 2021 Facebook post by writer and activist Shaun King about the overturning of Bill Cosby’s conviction received significant engagement both there and on Imgur: In the June 30 2021 post, Shaun King said that Cosby (who was convicted of
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki Blames GOP for Defunding Police’
On July 1 2021, the right-wing blog DailyWire.com published a story with the headline, “Psaki Blames GOP For Defunding Police, But She Can’t Name 1 Republican Who Called For Defunding Police,” which claimed that White House Press Secreta
Truth or Fiction?→ Golliwog Facebook Post
In June 2021, an indifferently punctuated January 2020 Facebook “golliwog” post was widely shared — along with a demonstrably false claim that the offensive content was at risk of being censored: The engagement-baiting text, which wa
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Biden Energy Sec. Suggests Climate Change Could Have Caused Florida Building Collapse’
On June 29 2021, a Bongino Report clip (“Biden Energy Sec. Suggests Climate Change Could Have Caused Florida Building Collapse”) was shared to video hosting site Rumble.com, covering the devastating June 24 2021 collapse of a building in M
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘White Influencer Identifies As Korean’
In late June 2021, a screenshot of a headline (“White Influencer Now ‘Identifies As Korean’ After Getting Surgery To Look Like Pop Star”) circulated: That screenshot originated with a June 27 2021 LadBible item: A British influencer ha
Truth or Fiction?→ Volvo ‘Three Point Seat Belt’ Patent
On June 27 2021, the Facebook page “FACT” shared a meme about Volvo, the three-point seat belt, and how the feature purportedly became so common: Text underneath what looked like vintage photographs of drivers in vehicles read: When Volvo
Truth or Fiction?→ YouTube Reverses Course, Reinstates Watchdog Site Monitoring Conspiracists
The media watchdog site Right Wing Watch (RWW) was reinstated onto YouTube after the platform initially removed its channel on June 28 2021 for unspecified reasons. “We are glad that by reinstating our account, YouTube recognizes our position tha
Truth or Fiction?→ Study Fails to Find Any Tuna DNA Inside Subway Tuna Sandwich
A viral June 22 2021 @Complex tweet contained a startling claim — that a “new study” utilizing DNA testing technology failed to find any tuna whatsoever in what was supposed to be a Subway tuna sandwich: New study fails to find any
Truth or Fiction?→ Conspiracists Seize on Study to Attack COVID-19 Mask Mandates
Far-right conspiracy theorists began circling in May 2021 around a study “pre-print” they claimed vindicated their refusal to wear face masks to blunt the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study, posted in the journal BioRxiv (pronounced
Truth or Fiction?→ Big Thunder Mountain Kidney Stones Meme
In June 2021 (and in December 2020), the Facebook page “Did You Know” shared the following meme about Disney’s Big Thunder Mountain ride, and its purported effect on painful kidney stones: Underneath the “did you know? ”
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘This is What Bravery Looks Like, Not a Man Wearing a Dress’
In June 2021, an image captioned “this is what bravery looks like, not a man wearing a dress” recirculated, often used to punctuate a point about gender identity: pic.twitter.com/Go1cBuyeNZ — Jerry Wares (@JerryWares) June 17, 2021
Truth or Fiction?→ Were Black Soldiers Eligible for the GI Bill?
On June 18 2021, a commenter shared a Twitter screenshot to an education-related Facebook post about one of the provisions of the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, popularly known as the GI Bill: Teaching students that WWII vets were give
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Chuck Grassley is 8 Years Older than Emmett Till’
On June 21 2021, journalist Michael Harriot retweeted a Politico tweet about Iowa’s “longest serving senator” of Republican Chuck Grassley. Harriot added that Grassley was eight years older than Emmett Till: Chuck Grassley is 8 year