Disinformation was rife on November 4 2020, including a high-engagement tweet by Mike Coudrey (@MichaelCoudrey) falsely asserting that there were more votes counted in Wisconsin than there were registered voters. It looked like this: Coudrey said: B
Publication: TruthOrFiction
Truth or Fiction?→ Anonymous ‘US Politics Polls’ Twitter Account Spreading Election Disinformation
An anonymous Twitter account presenting itself as political analysis set itself to spreading disinformation on the last night of the U.S. elections on November 3 2020. The account, which called itself “US Politics Polls,” posted several fa
Truth or Fiction?→ Mysterious ‘Piles of Bricks’ in Chicago on Election Day
Retreads of previously debunked rumors were part of the disinformation attacks that swarmed Election Day 2020 in the United States, and one particular tweet about a mysterious pile of bricks placed in Chicago (archived) inspired significant chatter a
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘You Don’t Have to Be Registered to Vote in Minnesota’
Right-wing talk show host Sean Hannity attempted to gin up a controversy around Democratic Party Rep. Ilhan Omar on November 3 2020 — election day in the United States — by misrepresenting her on social media and on his own website. Hannit
Truth or Fiction?→ Flint Robocalls Purportedly Advised Voters to Avoid Long Lines and ‘Vote Tomorrow’
Election Day 2020 brought with it expectations of widespread, ongoing attempts at voter suppression — and those expectations bore out early and often. One report from Flint, Michigan concerned “robocalls” warning of long lines at
Truth or Fiction?→ Pennsylvania Bakery Cookie Poll’s ‘Landslide’ Result Goes Viral
Less than a day before Election Day (November 3 2020), “PA bakery cookie poll” spiked as a search term and a topic of interest on social media: Let’s just say the cookie has red frosting “Pa. bakery's 'cookie poll,' w
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Joe Biden Say ‘I’m Gonna Take on Those Rapist Mexicans’ During a Rally?
On October 30 2020, TikTok user @camarocuddy shared what appeared to be footage of former U.S. Vice President and Democratic Party presidential candidate Joe Biden saying, “I’m gonna take on those rapist Mexicans”: @camarocuddyJoe
Truth or Fiction?→ Is There a ‘Non-Scalable Fence’ Around the White House in November 2020?
On November 1 2020, NBC News White House Correspondent Geoff Bennett published a tweet reporting that on November 2 2020, work crews would begin to build “a ‘non-scalable’ fence” in order to “secure” the White House
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Dave Ramsey Warn Facebook Users About Biden’s Tax Plan?
In late October 2020, a number of Facebook users attributed a post about Joe Biden’s tax plan to money guru Dave Ramsey, instantly imparting far more weight and authority to its claims (archived): In the screenshot, an October 21 2020 post by
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘We Are the Thin Blue Line’
An attack by Philadelphia police against a Black family that came to light online was distorted and repackaged as pro-law enforcement propaganda (which we have seen referred to as “copaganda”) on various social media platforms by separate
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Percy Long Prong’ Calling Card: Racy Relic, or Out of Context Hoax?
An October 15 2020 post to Reddit’s r/myfavoritemurder, titled “Found under floorboards[,] Percy Long Prong’s business card,” introduced a battered but risque calling card for a male sex worker purportedly catering to widows, s
Truth or Fiction?→ Nutella PR and Accidentally Racist Halloween ‘Ghosts’
Around October 29 2020, a purported Nutella Puerto Rico (@NutellaPR) Halloween post — an apparent screengrab from Facebook or Instagram featuring Ku Klux Klan-like ghosts — began circulating on Twitter, Reddit, and Facebook: Some posts ab
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Someone on the Walmart Social Media Team Has Had Enough of COVIDiots’
On October 29 2020, a Reddit user created a thread titled “Someone on the Walmart social media team has had enough of COVIDiots” in the subreddit r/MurderedByWords: Someone on the Walmart social media team has had enough of COVI
Truth or Fiction?→ As U.S. Election Looms, Agitprop Floods Social Media Platforms
In the days leading up to the 2020 U.S. presidential election, the disinformation that has been a hallmark of the Trump campaign, then administration, then campaign again reached new heights with political smears, Soviet-style weaponized conspiracy t
Truth or Fiction?→ Were People Left Stranded After a Trump Rally in Omaha?
The aftermath of United States President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Omaha, Nebraska drew as much attention for potentially affecting his supporters’ health than the event itself. Social media posts following the October 27 2020 event
Truth or Fiction?→ Did the Trump Administration Claim Credit for ‘Ending the COVID-19 Pandemic’ in October 2020?
On October 27 2020, rumors appeared that the Trump administration credited themselves in a press release with “ending the COVID-19 pandemic” as a first-term achievement: WTF headline of the year? The White House science office listed &q
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘If You Ever Wonder What Food Is Like on a U.S. Navy Ship, Here It Is, the USS Nimitz (Cvn 68)’
On October 3 2020, Facebook user Kevin Selfaison shared the following image set, which purportedly showed rations aboard the Navy ship USS Nimitz (archived here): Alongside a gallery of 25 images, Selfaison wrote: If you ever wonder what food is li
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Democrats ‘Kill a Bill’ Helping Gold Star Families to Help Immigrants Instead?
A 2019 attack by United States President Donald Trump against Democratic lawmakers in New York state was regurgitated and repurposed online again in 2020 — this time, in order to attack the party on the national level. The issue unfolded in Apri
Truth or Fiction?→ “As Trump Attacks Lesley Stahl, Remember He Said: ‘I Do It to Discredit [and] Demean You All So … No One Will Believe You’”
In late October 2020, just after United States President Donald Trump abruptly walked out of an election with longtime broadcast journalist Lesley Stahl, an older statement of his appeared: As Trump attacks Lesley Stahl now, remember his comments to
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Democrats Tried to Slip a Law Banning Pledge of Allegiance Into Aid Package’
In late October 2020, a number of people on Facebook appeared to share screenshots of what looked like an article headlined, “Democrats Tried to Slip a Law Banning Pledge of Allegiance Into Aid Package”: Spread Out Examples As a matter
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Joe Biden Call Trump ‘George’ During a Live Video?
A tweet from an official for United States President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign highlighted a widespread disinformation campaign that hinged on attempting to manufacture a “gaffe” to pin on Democratic Party presidential nomi
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Fake Melania’ Rumor Spreads Again After Photograph From White House Lawn
On October 24 2020, Twitter user Zack Bornstein shared a photograph of President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump… or was it? The only thing I'll miss from this administration is them swapping in new Melanias and just pretending we won&#
Truth or Fiction?→ Mike Pence, LGBTQ Communities, and ‘a Radical Social Agenda’
Vice President Mike Pence’s political history drew renewed attention online in October 2020 as a meme criticizing him spread online in October 2020. The graphic, which was originally posted by poet Andrea Gibson on Instagram, reads: Mike Pence s
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Women Start Shaving Their Legs Due to a 1910s Marketing Push by Razor Manufacturers?
An October 14 2020 Facebook post about the purported origins of women shaving their legs quickly became popular; it depicted a screenshot of a conversation in which one participant ascribes “capitalism” as a motive for a “1910s”
Truth or Fiction?→ Jamie Lee Curtis, ‘Irregardless,’ and Merriam-Webster
On October 22 2020, Upworthy published a post (“Jamie Lee Curtis isn’t happy about Merriam-Webster recognizing ‘irregardless’ as a word”) which — as might be expected — was shared by numerous social media acco
Truth or Fiction?→ Did the Trump Campaign Send Armed Men to a Polling Location in Florida?
A pair of armed security guards’ appearance near a voting location in St. Petersburg, Florida drew concern from observers both on the scene and online, as the story mushroomed on social media into a sign of something more sinister. According to
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?→ Is This a Photo of Trump and His Children With ‘His Pedophile Buddy Jeffrey Epstein’?
On October 20 2020, the Facebook page for “Occupy Democrats” shared the following photograph of a much younger Donald Trump with now-infamous pedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein — alongside a claim it showed Trump bringing his chil
Truth or Fiction?→ Is This an Associated Press Photograph of Sen. Mitch McConnell’s Hands?
As he faced criticism for refusing to include relief payments for Americans in COVID-19 relief legislation, Senate Majority Leader and self-described “grim reaper” Mitch McConnell drew attention from Twitter users on October 21 2020, after
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Dear Neighbor, You Have Been Identified As a Trump Supporter’ Flyers
On October 19 2020, Republican strategist and known disinformation purveyor Matt Schlapp shared the following tweet, claiming that vaguely threatening letters beginning with “Dear neighbor, you have been identified as a Trump supporter” ha
Truth or Fiction?→ Threatening Messages Sent to Democratic Party Voters in Battleground States
In a preview of more organized disinformation campaigns to come in the 2020 U.S. elections and subsequent interregnum period, Democratic Party voters in swing states received threatening emails the week of October 19 2020, ordering them to switch thei
Truth or Fiction?→ Fayette County, Pennsylvania Billboard: ‘Biden’s Dimensia is Getting Worse’
On October 17 2020, photographs of a billboard with the claim that Democratic Party presidential candidate Joe Biden suffered from “dimensia” began appearing on Twitter: This is real. NOT Photoshop. A actual billboard outside of Pittsbur
Truth or Fiction?→ Fayette County, Pennsylvania Billboard: ‘Biden’s Dimensia is Getting Worse’
On October 17 2020, photographs of a billboard with the claim that Democratic Party presidential candidate Joe Biden suffered from “dimensia” began appearing on Twitter: This is real. NOT Photoshop. A actual billboard outside of Pittsbur
Truth or Fiction?→ Joe Biden’s 2002 Letter to Ruth Cooke
On October 15 2020, a Facebook user shared a purported letter dated February 19 2002 that was attributed to Joe Biden and addressed to a widow named Ruth Cooke: On October 16 2020, the letter was referenced in a post to Reddit’s r/politics:
Truth or Fiction?→ Original Script for ‘The Addams Family’ Writer’s Note, ‘Demonic Levels of Horniness’
On October 16 2020 a Facebook user shared the following Twitter screenshot which purportedly depicted a “writer’s note” on the original script for the 1991 film The Addams Family: The following dialogue appeared in an image attache
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Asteroid Could Hit Earth’ Clickbait Revived by the New York Post
On October 18 2020, the New York Post published an article with the anxiety-inducing headline, “Neil deGrasse Tyson warns asteroid could hit Earth day before election,” which revived interest in a previously viral rumor of the same descri
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Since the Netflix Love Letters Have Been Pouring For Chris Watts, Including Marriage Proposals and Money’
On October 8 2020, Netflix’s American Murder documentary was popular enough that it generated a whole slew of viral claims. Among them was a Facebook rumor that subject Chris Watts received a flood of new “fan mail” (including money
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Fun Fact: Dolly Parton is Not Blonde, All Her Blonde Dos Are Wigs … She Just Clark Kents Her Way Into Maintaining a Private Life’
An October 15 2020 Facebook post about Dolly Parton’s husband and purported success in moving through public in incognito mode went viral almost immediately; it looked like this: In the Facebook post, an undated tweet appeared above two Tumbl
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘This Is a Reverse Financed Internship So You Will Pay $15/hr to Work Here’
An apparent prank job listing first spotted in January 2020 has continued recirculating through Facebook, with some readers taking it as a sign of late-stage capitalism’s descent into pure self-parody. The ad was posted on the job listing websit
Truth or Fiction?→ Is This a Trump Supporter’s Truck Getting Repossessed in Florida in ‘a Perfect Metaphor’?
Around October 12 2020, a photograph described as a “Trump supporter’s truck being repossessed in Florida,” flags still flying, spread on several social media platforms, including Twitter: A Trumpanzee in Florida having his truck