One of the most popular Imgur posts on March 4 2021 involved a screenshot of three tweets, two of which were from Michigan Republican Tom Norton, pertaining to “cancel culture” in general: Why some Americans allow these nuts to form a gove
Publication: TruthOrFiction
Truth or Fiction?→ Did the CDC Issue Zombie Apocalypse Guidelines in 2021 Because of a Nostradamus Prophecy?
On March 3 2021, a number of Fox affiliates shared an article claiming that due to a purported 2021 Nostradamus prophecy, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had created “just in case” guidance for a “zombie apocalypse̶
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Doctors and Experts Advise Against Taking Experimental Jab’: Fake Headline Circulating
On March 3 2021, a screenshot February 2021 headline from The Times (UK) — “Doctors and experts advise against taking experimental jab” — spread virally across anti-vaccine social media groups. It looked like this: We first spotted t
Truth or Fiction?→ Did the Biden Administration Censor, Cancel, or Ban Dr. Seuss Books Due to Racist Content?
On March 2 2021, throngs of Twitter users objected to the purported canceling or banning of books by Theodor Geisel, also known as children’s author Dr. Seuss. In some tellings, it was actual censorship — a state-sponsored cancellation that
Truth or Fiction?→ About That ’11-Year-Old Made $1K Selling N-Word Passes to White Friends at School’ Screenshot
In late February 2021, a screenshot of an apparent news article was shared to Facebook to support an assertion that an 11-year-old earned $1,000 by selling “n-word passes” to white classmates: 1k!!!! He had to have sold a few to some teach
Truth or Fiction?→ A 15th Century Machine Invented by Priests to ‘Break Hands and Fingers of Scientists, Artists, Painters, Sculptors Considered Heretic’?
A February 20 2021 Facebook image of a frightening device purportedly showed an elaborate machine “invented in the 15th century by Christian priests to break the hands and fingers of scientists, artists, painters, sculptors considered hereticR
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘The New Soul of Harlem’
The sight of a poster promoting an all-white “new soul of Harlem” shook up some readers February 2021 before a local business reassured them that it was not an authentic case of gentrification gone too far, once again proving that Poe’
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Kenyan Runner Abel Mutai Won a Race Due to Ivan Fernandez’s Sportsmanship’ Viral Post
A January 21 2021 Facebook post about two athletes — Kenyan runner Abel Mutai and Spanish runner Ivan Fernandez — was shared more than 100,000 times in a little over a month: Kenyan runner Abel Mutai was only a few meters from the finish l
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Mayonnaise Takes Crayon Off Walls’ Cleaning Hack
Almost certainly due to the “On This Day” function, a February 2020 Facebook post about using mayo to remove crayon from walls recirculated in February 2021: Alongside an illustrative short video of blue crayon being effortlessly wiped from
Truth or Fiction?→ No, Mr. Potato Head Is Not Gender Neutral Now
On February 25 2021, social media erupted into outrage over a widely-aggregated Associated Press item claiming that the children’s toy previously known as Mr. Potato Head was being changed to be “gender neutral”: Mr. Potato Head is
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘If $15/Hr is Too Much For Minimum Wage Then $85/Hr is Too Much to Pay Our Senators to Literally Do Nothing’ Tweet
A February 23 2021 tweet asserting that “If $15/hr is too much for minimum wage then $85/hr is too much to pay our senators to literally do nothing” immediately spread in viral form, quickly migrating as a screengrab to a popular post on R
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Robinhood Announce it Is ‘Upgrading its Systems’?
On February 24 2021, not long after buyers using financial app Robinhood rattled money pundits everywhere, a tweet appeared to signify that something new was afoot: Tomorrow we’ll be doing an upgrade to our systems. Buying in some stocks might be l
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Alex Jones Loses Thousands to Mistress Amber’
On February 21 2021, a screenshot of a purported news article attributed to “Andrea Tonks” and reporting that disinformation purveyor Alex Jones had lost thousands of dollars to a Communist “findom” (financial dominatrix) appea
Truth or Fiction?→ TikTok’s ‘Antifa Hoedown’ (#NeverGonnaStopUs), Explained
In late February 2021, a catchy TikTok song (“Antifa Hoedown”) began migrating to Facebook, often in the form of the version seen below: That version was uploaded by @eerie.bxby on January 28 2021, and it showed a dark-haired woman danc
Truth or Fiction?→ Peace Sign Origin: Nuclear Disarmament?
A February 21 2021 Facebook post about the purported origins of the “peace sign” or “peace symbol” was popular almost immediately. The post stated that the hand sign was conceived on that date in 1958 by a British graphic desig
Truth or Fiction?→ Peace Sign Origin: Nuclear Disarmament?
A February 21 2021 Facebook post about the purported origins of the “peace sign” or “peace symbol” was popular almost immediately. The post stated that the hand sign was conceived on that date in 1958 by a British graphic desig
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Untethered Astronaut’ Bruce McCandless in the ‘Most Terrifying Space Photograph’
A February 18 2021 Facebook post by AstrophileDaily.com spread virally (and in copies too), purportedly showing astronaut Bruce McCandless II floating “untethered” in space: The Post A frequently repeated and screenshotted caption read:
Truth or Fiction?→ Are Life Insurance Policies Being Canceled Because of the COVID-19 Vaccine?
As an example of how disinformation can get laundered through Facebook, witness the attempt to spread a lie about the current vaccination efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic. The claim originated with a post from a user based in England reading: Che
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Since 1980 California Built 22 Prisons, 1 University’
On February 22 2021, an image was shared to both r/pics and Imgur, which contained the claim that the state of California has built 22 prisons, but only one university, since 1980: A sense of priorities from pics On Reddit, th
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘MLK’s Mother Was Assassinated Too’
In February 2021 — Black History Month in the United States — a history meme circulated on social media platforms containing the assertion that Martin Luther King, Jr.’s mother, like her son, was assassinated: Atop and under a bla
Truth or Fiction?→ Avoid That ‘Popcorn in Muffin Tin’ Hack Which ‘Breaks the Internet’
A February 12 2021 “muffin tin popcorn hack” shared to Facebook Watch by the page “Paul Vu” went viral almost instantly; it purported to demonstrate how to produce the colorful (and clearly mass-produced) varieties of flavored
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Ted Cruz Blame ‘Cancel Culture’ For his Mexico Trip?
As the anger toward right-wing Texas Sen. Ted Cruz led to widespread criticism and ridicule for deserting his Texas constituents amid historically harsh winter conditions in February 2021 and attempting to blame his daughters for his decision, parodie
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?→ ‘Actual Advice Being Given to Southerners About How to Drive in the Snow’
As much of the South contended with unusually harsh winter weather, a viral February 2021 tweet claimed that a screenshot showed “actual advice” being given to Southerners for driving in the snow — entailing a complicated visualizati
Truth or Fiction?→ Clay Pot Candle Heaters: Do They Really Work?
As Texans struggled with widespread power outages and harsh winter weather, numerous Facebook posts advised using terracotta or clay pot “space heaters,” which would purportedly enable residents freezing in southern states to heat rooms wi
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Ted Cruz Fly to Mexico While Texans Were Without Electricity?
Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz was denounced online after being caught flying out of the state as hundreds of thousands of residents remained without power and water for sunnier climates. Photographs placing Cruz at the Houston airport began surfacin
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Green New Deal. Pray For Texas.’
The scramble by right-wing politicians and pundits to spread disinformation amid the winter storms devastating Texas in February 2021 led to a long-debunked graphic finding new life online — again. The photograph shows a helicopter hovering near
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘I’ve Never Killed a Man, But I Have Read Some Obituaries with Great Pleasure’ Quote Origin
On February 17 2021, the death of right-wing talk radio presence Rush Limbaugh prompted a number of social media users to post a quote generally attributed to Mark Twain (or American lawyer of note Clarence Darrow), saying “I’ve never ki
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Hollywood Fred Meyer Threw Out All Perishables in Power Outage, Portland Police Blocked People From Accessing the Dumpsters and All the Food Went Bad’
As Americans in several states endured atypically severe winter weather, power outages, and lack of access to necessities, viral tweets claimed that Portland, Oregon law enforcement was guarding dumpsters outside a Hollywood Fred Meyer to prevent anyo
Truth or Fiction?→ Ohio Mom Shaina Bell’s Arrest for Working Without Childcare Leads to Viral Outcry, a Popular GoFundMe
On February 12 2021, local news organization WFMJ shared a Facebook post reporting on the arrest of 24-year-old Shaina Bell of Liberty Township; Bell allegedly left her two-year-old child in the care of her ten-year-old while working a shift at a near
Truth or Fiction?→ Was a Texas Ramada Hotel Charging $999 For Rooms After a Huge Winter Storm?
As residents across Texas fought power blackouts on February 15 2021 following a massive winter storm, a Ramada Hotel in Austin came under criticism online for appearing to respond by price-gouging people seeking shelter with electricity. Reporter Ton
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘My Brain Refuses to Believe There Are 4 People in This Photo’
On February 14 2021, a Facebook user shared the following post (archived), captioned “My brain refuses to believe there are 4 people in this photo”: My brain refuses to believe there are 4 people in this photo Posted by Michael McCluskey
Truth or Fiction?→ Can You Mop Your Floors With Tide Powder?
“Quarancleaning” became a major trend as the COVID-19 pandemic forced people to shelter in (and in many cases, work from) their homes. As stressed-out people traded “hacks” for keeping living spaces clean, mopping with powdered
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘California Inmate Has Now Beaten to Death 2 Child Molesters With a Cane While in Prison, Authorities Say’
In February 2021, a February 1 2020 Facebook post (possibly “revived” by “On This Day” or “Memories”) continued its viral spread. The post consisted of what appeared to be a screenshot of a headline reading “C
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Only in 1989’ Credit Scores Posts
On February 11 2021, a tidbit of information about credit scores being introduced in 1989 spread on at least three places (a tweet, a Reddit post, and a Facebook post), indicating strong interest in the claim. That day, @sleepisocialist tweeted: I&#
Truth or Fiction?→ Was Ashli Babbitt’s Death ‘Exposed as a Hollywood Stunt’?
A blog with a history of publishing weaponized disinformation attempted to use the death of one of the rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol in January 2021 as grist for another conspiracy theory. The “story,” posted on Before It’s N
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Simone Biles Was Banned from Doing Moves Because They Couldn’t Score Them Fairly,’ and ‘They Were Too Dangerous for Other Gymnasts’
One day after the February 7 2021 Super Bowl LV victory of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Twitter user @yungwonk (Regina Pearson) quote-tweeted another user’s praise of quarterback Tom Brady with additional information: Simone Biles was banned from
Truth or Fiction?→ Does ‘This Little Piggy’ Have a Darker Meaning?
Adults reading social media got a jolt to their understanding of childrens’ stories in February 2021, as speculation emerged around the nursery rhyme, “This Little Piggy.” It didn’t take much. Just one Twitter post saying, R
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘In Finland Speeding Tickets Are Linked to Your Income’
In February 2021, a year-old Facebook post was shared tens of thousands of times, bearing the claim that in Finland, “speeding tickets are calculated based on your income”: The post, which was originally shared by the page “The Fe
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Casual Reminder That in 1861, 11 Senators and 3 Representatives Were Expelled from Congress for Failing to Recognize Lincoln’s Election and Supporting Insurrection’
On February 10 2021, a post titled “Casual Reminder” was shared to r/WhitePeopleTwitter. The post claimed that in 1861, a total of fourteen lawmakers were “expelled from Congress” for failing to recognize the election of Abraha