In September 2019, a Facebook user shared an image and a harrowing story about the purported sexual abuse of a toddler that went unreported for months because the young girl supposedly was not taught anatomically correct words: Alongside a photograph
Publication: TruthOrFiction
Truth or Fiction?→ Was a Protest Banner Unfurled at Trump’s Las Vegas Hotel?
A protest video against United States President Donald Trump circulated online on October 9 2019 drew heavy attention online for its message on a computer-generated banner: A video shows the “banner” seemingly being unfurled at the Trump
Truth or Fiction?→ ’95-Year-Old Former President Jimmy Carter Building a House With a Black Eye’ Meme
On October 8 2019, a Reddit user shared the following animated image to r/gifs, purportedly showing former United States president Jimmy Carter building homes for Habitat for Humanity while still visibly recovering from a fall-related injury (as evid
Truth or Fiction?→ Pro-Life Art: ‘The Neverborn Child’ Meme
In early October 2019, the Facebook disinformation page “ForAmerica” shared the following meme, insisting that it shows a “pro-life sculpture” called “the neverborn child”: Captions added to the image and a statu
Truth or Fiction?→ Does a Facebook ‘Default Setting’ Sign Users Up for Recurring Donations?
As we have said many times, any Facebook post that begins with a variation of “copied from a friend” should raise suspicions. Despite this, users of the social media platform continue to do their part to spread misinformation and disinform
Truth or Fiction?→ Does Footage Prove Elizabeth Warren Lied About ‘Visibly Pregnant’ Firing?
In early October 2019, a number of social media posts and attendant articles referenced a multi-layered claim that Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) “lied” about being fired because she was “visibly pregnant.” Social medi
Truth or Fiction?→ If You Made $5,000 a Day Starting in 1492, Would You Still Have Less Money Than Jeff Bezos?
On October 7 2019, a screenshot of a tweet began circulating across the internet. It read: If you worked every single day, making $5000/day, from the time Columbus sailed to America, to the time you are reading this tweet, you would still not be a bi
Truth or Fiction?→ The Constitution, Impeachment, a Paper Shredder, and Hillary Clinton’s Twitter
On October 7 2019, the following image appeared in a Facebook group. It purportedly showed an undated Fox News coverage still, further displaying what appeared to be a tweet from Hillary Clinton three days before: In the original post, a group
Truth or Fiction?→ Officials Say United States Not Vacating Syria, Contradicting Trump: Reports
Amid reports that Turkish forces had begun mounting an attack on Syria, two separate news outlets reported that United States officials had contradicted U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration that American troops would be vacating the Syria-T
Truth or Fiction?→ Recurring Disinformation Around Remembrance Day, Poppies, and ‘Upset Minorities’
An enduring piece of misinformation surrounding the Remembrance Day holiday and the Royal British Legion charity group resurfaced again in September 2019, despite the best efforts of fact-checkers the last few times the same exact disinformation appea
Truth or Fiction?→ Facebook #HocusPocus ‘Witch Checker’
In early October 2019, a Facebook status update meme appeared with the claim that people who type #HocusPocus into comments of a post could activate Facebook’s “witch checker” feature: Myriad posts involving re-worded variants o
Truth or Fiction?→ This Is Not Angela Merkel With Adolf Hitler
On September 26 2019, a since-suspended Twitter account (@4truthbombs) shared an image purporting to show a very young Angela Merkel with a previous, infamous chancellor — Adolf Hitler: The disinformation attempt appeared not long after Merkel spo
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Sometimes Dogs or Wolves in Movies Need CGI Tails Because They’re So Excited to be Doing a Good Job Acting’
On October 6 2019, the following post spread rapidly on Facebook, concerning wolves and dogs in the movie industry and how they may sometimes need computer-generated editing to make them look less happy or excited: View post on imgur.com Beneath an
Truth or Fiction?→ Facebook on Allowing Political Ads with Disinformation: ‘A Benefit to See What Politicians Are Saying’
Just one day after a report highlighting an ad for United States President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign based on a claim that Facebook’s own fact-checking partners had already debunked, the social media platform is claiming that al
Truth or Fiction?→ Lyndon LaRouche: An Explainer
An attempt to troll U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) in early October 2019 led to newfound attention for the devotees of failed political candidate, convicted felon, and one-time Marxist-turned-Democratic-presidential-candidate-turned-f
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘When We See Cancer in Pork, We Just Cut It Out And Still Sell It To Customers’ Claim
A February 2018 post (“An Experienced Butcher Admits: “When We See Cancer In The Pork, We Just Cut It And Still Sell It To Customers””) circulated widely on Facebook in October 2019, inspiring a fresh round of users vowing to never aga
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Rolex Sales Records Help Solve a Murder?
In September 2019, a Reddit r/todayilearned post claimed that luxury watch manufacturer Rolex maintained such “meticulous” sales records that their data was used to solve an open homicide: TIL of The Rolex Murder. On July 28, 19
Truth or Fiction?→ Will 154,000,000 Pieces of Plastic from Christmas Crackers in the UK Wind Up in the Ocean in a Single Year?
In late September and early October 2019, a very specific claim involving Christmas crackers (a tradition involving devices called “party poppers” in some countries; they are made from cardboard and gunpowder, generally contain confetti or
Truth or Fiction?→ Are Scientists ‘Covering Up’ Global Warming Data?
Among the conspiracy theories bandied about by “nature”-themed blogs is the idea that scientists have conspired to gin up mass panics over the planet’s climate-warming emergency. One particularly hysterical claim was published by Nat
Truth or Fiction?→ Spooky Season, Activated Charcoal in Food, and Medication
On September 19 2019, a Facebook user shared a warning (archived here) that urged fans of the “spooky season” to avoid foods colored with activated charcoal due to its purported ability to prevent your body from absorbing medications. Al
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Ulysses S. Grant Say a Second Civil War Could be Waged Over Intelligence Vs. Superstition?
On September 30 2019, pundit Malcolm Nance shared the following quote meme to Facebook, purportedly involving remarks made by former United States President Ulysses S. Grant on the prospect of a second Civil War: One day prior, U.S. Presiden
Truth or Fiction?→ Harry S. Truman ‘You Can’t Get Rich in Politics Unless You’re a Crook’ Meme
A December 2018 “McGroarty for Freedom” Facebook quote meme remained popular in circulation nearly a year later, attributing commentary about politics, wealth, and honesty to former United States President Harry S. Truman: Underneath a
Truth or Fiction?→ Breaking Down States Where a ‘Trans Panic’ Defense Is Not Illegal
A graphic posted on a transgender-oriented website’s Facebook page does, for the most part, illustrate a particular form of transphobic courtroom discrimination. The post by “TransMusePlanet,” which has been shared more than a thousa
Truth or Fiction?→ Did the FBI Say Knives are Used in Five Times More Murders than Rifles?
On October 1 2019 , the website AmericanMilitaryNews.com shared a post headlined, “FBI stats show 5 times more murders by knives than rifles in 2018”: That was shared thousands of times in less than 24 hours. An additional item claim
Truth or Fiction?→ Is it Now Illegal to Say ‘Illegal’ in New York City?
In late September and early October 2019, a number of posts on social media claimed that New York City had made it illegal to call anyone “illegal” or an “illegal alien.” A September 30 2019 video post by Tim Pool was titled &
Truth or Fiction?→ Would Trump Get to ‘Run Two More Times’ If He Is Not Impeached?
While he himself debunked the claim within hours, several readers contacted us asking if a scenario posted by disinformation purveyor and conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec on October 1, 2019 was plausible. “These Democrats don’t realize th
Truth or Fiction?→ Comparing William Barr and Chelsea Manning’s Refusal to Comply with Subpoenas
A widely-shared graphic contrasting jailed whistleblower Chelsea Manning with United States Attorney General William Barr misinterprets the circumstances behind Manning’s incarceration. “Now seems a good time to point out the attorney gen
Truth or Fiction?→ Does a Video Show ‘Antifa Protesters’ Screaming at an Elderly Woman Crossing the Street?
In late September 2019, a video clip of masked people shouting at and blocking an elderly woman while she was using a walker to cross a street began to circulate on Twitter: Antifa protesters scream at & block elderly couple outside an event fea
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Dad’s Ashes a Brick’ Post
In November 2018, a Facebook user shared a set of screenshots showing a separate post about finding post-cremation ashes in “brick” form: In the first few screenshots, the original poster poses a question to fellow users about the pu
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Iranian Censorship’ of Women’s Track and Field Competition Video
On September 30 2019, an Imgur post purportedly showing “Iranian TV censorship of women’s track and field competition” proved popular: Iranian TV censorship of women’s track and field competition The original poster didn̵
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Two Altar Boys Arrested for Putting Weed in the Censer Burner’ Claim
In September 2019, a number of social media users shared an article claiming two altar boys had been arrested for “putting weed in the censer-burner”: What started as a joke ended with the future of two altar boys from Spain. They were det
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Trump Is Now Trying To Get Mike Pence Impeached’ Claim
On September 25 2019, Politicus USA published an article headlined, “Trump Is Now Trying To Get Mike Pence Impeached,” claiming in part: During a press conference, Trump said that if he is going to be investigated, Vice President Pence’s
Truth or Fiction?→ Vietnam Veterans Group: ‘Foreign Criminals’ Targeting Servicemembers for Online Exploitation
An advocacy group for military service members is calling on similar organizations as well as federal officials and social media platforms to take more steps to protect their fellow veterans from being manipulated by online disinformation. “Serv
Truth or Fiction?→ Teddy Roosevelt’s Bar Fight: ‘If I’ve Got to, I’ve Got to’
On September 26 2019 an Imgur user shared the following Teddy Roosevelt “fun fact” meme: Messing with wrong Guy A post titled “Messing with [the] wrong guy” and referencing its subject as “Teddy Badass Roosevelt,
Truth or Fiction?→ Was a Bill Passed in Iran Allowing Men to Marry Their Daughters?
An August 12 2019 TheYouth.in article (titled “A controversial Bill passed in Iran, it allows men to marry daughters, draws flak from other nations?”) circulated for weeks after its publication on Facebook. The article included no apparent
Truth or Fiction?→ Senate Report: NRA ‘Became a Foreign Asset’ for Russia Before 2016 Election
Despite claims to the contrary, officials with the National Rifle Association (NRA) were pursuing personal business gains as part of a 2015 trip to Moscow involving convicted Kremlin operative Maria Butina, according to a Senate Finance Committee repo
Truth or Fiction?→ Thomas Jefferson ‘Tyranny Is Defined as That Which Is Legal for the Government’ Quote
On September 27 2019, a Facebook user shared the following meme, which attributes a quote about tyranny to Thomas Jefferson: View post on imgur.com Underneath an image of what appeared to be a firearm trigger, text read: “Tyranny is defined as
Truth or Fiction?→ Elizabeth Warren Accused of Claiming to be Cherokee and Plagiarizing Recipes in ‘Pow Wow Chow’
On September 26 2019, a social media user tweeted out screenshots and text accusing Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) of claiming Cherokee heritage and plagiarizing recipes from the New York Times: Elizabeth Warren not only claimed to be &qu
Truth or Fiction?→ Maurice Sendak: ‘He Saw It, He Liked It, He Ate It’
On September 24 2019, the Facebook page “Untitled Nerd Network” shared the following Maurice Sendak quote, purportedly telling the story of an eager young fan so pleased he received a card from the author that he “ate” it:
Truth or Fiction?→ Were Cotton Feed Sacks Turned Into Clothing in the 1930s?
While it may not be a case of deliberately misstating the context, the rediscovery online of a pioneering journalist’s photograph in 1939 by people on social media came with a far more optimistic view of the circumstances behind it than had prev