On February 20 2020, a photograph purportedly showing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-California) smiling in front of a “Trump 2020” sign made the rounds on Facebook: Visible text at the top read: Th
Publication: TruthOrFiction
Truth or Fiction?→ Do 78 Percent of Women Considering Abortion ‘Choose Life’ After Seeing an Ultrasound?
A September 2019 claim by the anti-abortion group “March For Life” was exposed to online scrutiny in February 2020. The group claimed at the time that “78 percent of women considering abortion choose life after seeing an ultrasound o
Truth or Fiction?→ Sophie Scholl’s Last Words
In February 2020, a two-year-old Facebook post about Sophie Scholl circulated to mark the purported anniversary of her death with her last words before her execution by Nazis: On February 21 2018, user Warren Lynn shared the screenshot above, writi
Truth or Fiction?→ Are American Women ’50 Percent More Likely’ to Die From Pregnancy or Childbirth Than Their Mothers?
Hidden in the middle of a story about the effects of social media disinformation on a pregnant woman is a statistic that might give readers pause, but it is chilling — and accurate. The information was part of a February 20 2020 NBC News story o
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘The One Video Bernie Sanders Doesn’t Want You to See’
On February 24 2020, the Facebook page “The Hodgetwins” shared the following video purportedly showing presidential candidate Bernie Sanders praising breadlines, framed with text about it being “the one video that Bernie Sanders doe
Truth or Fiction?→ Did an MSNBC Reporter Contradict His Network on the Nevada Caucus Tiebreaker?
As media coverage on February 22, 2020 converged on the Nevada State Democratic Party caucuses and their unusual tiebreaker method, MSNBC reporter Gadi Schwartz revealed an apparent rule change on-air that contradicted not only state policy but his ne
Truth or Fiction?→ Pro-Trump Nevada Ad Regurgitates Anti-Obama Immigration Disinformation
On February 21 2020 — just one day before the Nevada Democratic Party caucuses — a super PAC promoting United States President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign released a Spanish-language ad steeped in disinformation about immigra
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘He’s 18’: Twitter Trending Topics Amplifies Quaden Bayles Conspiracy Theory
Not long after Quaden Bayles became the virally popular star of an anti-bullying campaign, Twitter’s trending topics boosted a conspiracy theory under “He’s 18,” linked to tweets alleging the nine-year-old boy was a much olde
Truth or Fiction?→ Official ‘Snoopy’ Account Deletes ‘You’re One of the Good Ones’ Cartoon
The official @Snoopy account became the center of Twitter and Facebook controversy on February 21 2020, due to a since-deleted tweet involving Charlie Brown, his friend Franklin (a Black character), and usage of the phrase “you’re one of t
Truth or Fiction?→ Does Bernie Sanders’ Plan Tax People Making $29,000 at 52 Percent?
A fast-spreading Twitter meme shared by James Woods took aim at a purported statement by Bernie Sanders at the February 19 2020 debate, during which Sanders purportedly claimed that he planned to raise taxes so that people earning $29,000 a year would
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Someone Edit Michael Bloomberg’s Wikipedia Page to Say He ‘Died’ of Wounds Inflicted by Elizabeth Warren?
During a particularly contentious Democratic debate on February 19 2020, rumors circulated on Twitter and Facebook that a mischievous Wikipedia user had edited Michael Bloomberg’s page and indicated he “died” — due to wounds s
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Pipeline Protesters Out of Gas’ Meme
On February 17 2020, a Facebook user shared the following post that purports to show “pipeline protesters” ironically holding an “out of gas” sign — ironic, because they ran out of fuel on their way to a protest: Atop
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Michael Bloomberg and Jeffrey Epstein ‘Collab’ on a Charter School Funding Plan?
Amid the flurry of rumors connecting Democratic Party presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg to convicted (now deceased) pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, social media users posted a photo of what they called a “collab” between the two involvin
Truth or Fiction?→ Bloomberg on ‘Some Guy in a Dress’ and ‘He, She, or It’ in 2019
In February 2020, “newly resurfaced” video of Mike Bloomberg purportedly showing the former New York City mayor describing transgender women as “some guy in a dress” and using “it” in lieu of a pronoun appeared ju
Truth or Fiction?→ Do Twenty States Now Suspend Driver’s Licenses of People Who Haven’t Paid Back Student Loans?
In February 2020, a screenshot (missing a date) circulated on Facebook, featuring a tweet by journalist Barbara Ehrenrich about how “20 states now” revoked driver’s licenses of people who had not been paying back their student loans:
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Lyndon B. Johnson Vote Against Civil Rights Legislation for Twenty Years?
Right-wing commentator Candace Owens distorted the record of former United States President Lyndon B. Johnson during both a televised appearance and on Twitter in February 2020 in an effort to paint the Democratic Party as being anti-Black. The remark
Truth or Fiction?→ Fish Mox: ‘Same Antibiotic, Same Pill, Same Manufacturer, Same Drug’ as Amoxicillin?
On February 17 2020 a Facebook user shared the following post, claiming that a product called “Fish Mox” is the “same antibiotic, same pill,” and “same drug” as the common antibiotic amoxicillin: Alongside three
Truth or Fiction?→ Was a Man Arrested for Allegedly Forcing a Woman to Watch ‘Roots’ to ‘Better Understand’ Her Racism?
On February 17 2020, an odd story came out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa via The Gazette, about the arrest of a man who allegedly forced made a woman watch the mini-series Roots so that she might better understand her own racism: A Cedar Rapids man [Rober
Truth or Fiction?→ For ‘Silent Help,’ ‘Ring 999, Then Press 55’
In January 2020, a Facebook photograph of a printed sign purportedly provided valuable advice to callers of 999, several countries’ version of the United States’ 911 — claiming that for “silent help,” callers impeded from
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘If You Make $50,000/Year, $36 of Your Taxes Goes to Food Stamps, $4,000 Goes to Corporate Subsidies’
A February 14 2020 tweet about “socialism” and a putative $50,000 wage earner paying $36 in tax towards food stamps and $4,000 towards corporate subsidies went wildly viral, appearing in screenshots on Facebook and discussion forums in the
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘God Bows Down to President Donald J. Trump’ Sign
A sign expressing a particularly outlandish message supporting United States President Donald Trump grabbed attention online in February 2020: A photograph of the sign — bearing the message “God bows down to President Donald J. Trump, dec
Truth or Fiction?→ Captain Cook’s Death: Why Anti-Colonialists Celebrate February 14th
If you’re tired of the Valentine’s Day hype, consider this: Some people on social media are going with a of a British explorer’s death at the hands of indigenous Hawaiians as a way to mark February 14th instead. For example, Facebook
Truth or Fiction?→ Jeff Bezos Bought a $165M House, the Equivalent of a $75 House if You Make $60,000 a Year?
In February 2020, tweets and screenshots appeared, claiming that Amazon chief executive officer Jeff Bezos had recently purchased a $165 million house — typically with the caveat that the acquisition was about the same as someone who made $60,00
Truth or Fiction?→ Trump Intervenes in Sentencing of Lobbyist Who Spread Corrosive Disinformation on His Behalf
The sentencing of convicted felon Roger Stone was abruptly derailed on February 11 2020, when all four of his prosecutors resigned on the same day that United States President Donald Trump, freshly emboldened by his impeachment acquittal the week befo
Truth or Fiction?→ Was Amazon’s First CFO Killed by One of the Company’s Delivery Trucks?
The cause of death of Amazon’s first chief financial officer in 2013 was quickly snapped up by online users after it was finally revealed six years later and cited as an example of recklessness by the company she had helped propel to the heights
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?→ ‘Can We Brainstorm Ways to Make This Sound Less Racist’ Michael Bloomberg Subreddit Post
Amid ongoing controversy involving Democratic candidate Mike Bloomberg and his attitude toward New York City’s stop-and-frisk policies, blogger and reporter Zaid Jilani tweeted a screenshot from Reddit’s r/PresidentBloomberg — in whi
Truth or Fiction?→ Did North Dakota Republicans ‘Block Native Americans From Voting’?
Stories continue to circulate online about a federal judge’s October 2018 ruling around a North Dakota voter identification law, but readers on social media may not be aware that as of February 2020, the legal fight against the law has not concl
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Mods are Asleep, Post Mike Bloomberg in Epstein’s Black Book’
On February 11 2020, a tweet (also shared to Facebook) invoked the “mods are asleep” meme in a broader post about former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s purported appearance in the late Jeffrey Epstein’s “little blac
Truth or Fiction?→ Prolific Web Artist Qinni Dies at 29
Well-loved DeviantArt and social media artist Qing Han, known to fans as Qinni, has died. She was 29. DeviantArt, a platform on which Qinni maintained a massive following (and which honored Qinni in 2017), confirmed Qing Han’s death in a tweet:
Truth or Fiction?→ Does an Image Show the Ku Klux Klan Marching with a Trump/Pence Banner?
On February 9 2020, a Facebook page called “The Truth Fairy” shared the following image, which purportedly showed the Ku Klux Klan marching with a Trump/Pence banner in support of the election (or re-election) of United States President D
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Michael Bloomberg Say Young Men of Color Commit ’95 Percent of Your Murders’?
Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg’s defense of “stop and frisk” police tactics disproportionately targeting young people of color was brought back to light after audio from a 2015 speech found new life on social me
Truth or Fiction?→ Does One of President Trump’s Retweets Display ‘BERNIE BEATS TRUMP’?
On February 11 2020, a screenshot of United States President Donald Trump retweeting an account showing the name “BERNIE BEATS TRUMP” appeared on Twitter: Ladies and gentlemen, we got him pic.twitter.com/bcCdtluxky — BERNIE BEATS T
Truth or Fiction?→ The #BroomChallenge: Can Your Broom Stand up Because of the Vernal Equinox or Planetary Alignments?
On February 10 2020, memes and posts about a #BroomChallenge began circulating around Facebook, claiming that an arcane gravitational anomaly (usually chalked up to being caused by a “planetary alignment” or the “vernal equinox”
Truth or Fiction?→ Are Americans Getting Jailed for Unpaid Medical Debt?
On February 10 2020, a story about people in Kansas being jailed over medical debt spread on Facebook and Reddit: "You wouldn’t think you’d go to jail over medical bills": County in rural Kansas is jailing people over
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Justin Trudeau Say That ‘Islam is the Only Way to Improve Life in Canada’?
A recurring pattern of smear attempts against Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau flared up yet again in February 2020, when a Facebook user attempted to gin up a meme about him using a debunked, Islamophobic rumor: The February 8 2020 post show
Truth or Fiction?→ On This Day: You Can Tell Facebook Not to Show Memories that Upset You
On February 6 2020, Facebook user Tomayia Colvin posted about Facebook’s On This Day/Memories feature, and what is perhaps a little-known setting enabling users to filter out specific names and dates for entries they might wish not to see: &n
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Powerful American Stories Ripped to Shreds by Nancy Pelosi’
On February 6 2020, United States President Donald Trump (@realDonaldTrump) shared a disinformation video on Twitter of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, apparently “ripping … powerful American stories to shreds”: pic.twitter.com/QhTWvc
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Pete Buttigieg’s Campaign Insert ‘Artificial Applause’ Into a Video Ad?
A progressive activist group highlighted an editing trick used in a video promoting Democratic Party presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg’s campaign on Twitter in early February 2020. The Center for Popular Democracy’s tweet, which has b