In early February 2019, the Facebook page Sexy Atheists shared a link to an article titled “Chicago Man Loses His Penis To Frostbite After Peeing Outside,” which appeared to report: The bitter cold in Chicago has kept hospitals busy, with
Publication: TruthOrFiction
Truth or Fiction?→ Video of Bernie Sanders Shirtless, Singing ‘This Land Is Your Land’ in Russia in 1988?
On January 28 2019, a video of what appeared to be video of a shirtless Bernie Sanders at a dinner party in Russia in 1988 surfaced on Twitter: BREAKING: @SenSanders like you’ve never seen him!! Bernie and Jane on their honeymoon in Russia singing â
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Man Get $20,000 of Surgery to Look Like Jesus Christ?
In late January 2019, an article appearing to report that a man spent $20,000 on surgery to look more like Jesus Christ began circulating on Facebook: A 30-year old man from Kentucky underwent some radical plastic surgery in order to physically resemb
Truth or Fiction?→ Does Ariana Grande’s ‘Seven Rings’ Tattoo Actually Mean ‘Charcoal Grill’ in Japanese?
On January 30 2019, entertainment outlets began reporting that singer Ariana Grande showed off a Japanese character tattoo she believed translated to “seven rings” — and the publicity revealed that the ink actually said “charcoal g
Truth or Fiction?→ Chuck Schumer Border Wall 2013 vs. 2018
In January 2019, the Facebook page “McGroarty for Freedom” shared the following meme, which contrasted purported positions held by Sen. Chuck Schumer in 2013 and 2018 on the topic of a border wall to separate the United States from Mexico:
Truth or Fiction?→ Did the Media Ignore a Devastating Tornado in Cuba?
On January 28 2019, a Facebook user shared the following image set and claim (automatically translated) about a purported and unreported tornado that caused widespread devastation in Cuba: Last night a tornado destroyed everything in its path in Havana
Truth or Fiction?→ Is This a Photo of Nancy Pelosi and George Soros’s Son?
In January 2019, a Facebook user shared the following image, purportedly showing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi alongside George Soros’s son: The title and text surrounding the image, which is apparently a screenshot of an October 2018 blog post, cl
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Martin Luther King, Jr. Say ‘the Dream’ Cannot Survive if Women Have Abortions?
In January 2019, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the passage of a new abortion law in New York state occurred in close proximity, facilitating the circulation of the following quote meme: The above-reproduced quote meme included a photograph of King a
Truth or Fiction?→ Were More ‘American Blacks’ Killed by ‘Illegal Immigrants’ Than Police in Recent Years?
In January 2019, the following Facebook status update circulated with the claim that undocumented immigrants caused the deaths of more black Americans than officer involved shootings in years prior: White text on a black background unaccompanied by im
Truth or Fiction?→ Is Bread Bad for Ducks?
In January 2019, the Facebook page “Wild at Heart Rescue” shared the following illustration while claiming that it is dangerous — even potentially lethal — to feed bread to ducks: The drawings depicted waterfowl and the text said: Plea
Truth or Fiction?→ Are Tweets by Jacob Wohl and Jack Posobiec About ‘Impeaching’ Barack Obama Real?
In late January 2019, tweets attributed to far-right “influencers” Jack Posobiec and Jacob Wohl on the subject of impeaching former President Barack Obama circulated on social media in screenshot form: The image looked like a screengrab fr
Truth or Fiction?→ Is a Photograph of Roger Stone Holding a ‘Hillary for Prison’ Shirt Real?
After political operative Roger Stone was arrested on January 25 2019, a photograph in which he appeared to proudly display a shirt bearing the slogan “Hillary for Prison” began circulating on social media: As in the example above, the ima
Truth or Fiction?→ Is This a Photograph of Roger Stone’s Neighbor Gleefully Watching the FBI Raid of His Home?
On January 25 2019, the Facebook page “Make ‘Murica Great Again” shared the following photograph of a smiling woman clad in a fur coat and drinking wine, purportedly a neighbor of Roger Stone toasting his arrest during a raid by Feder
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Taxpayers Foot the Bill for the Trump Family’s Dinner at His Property While Furloughed Workers Went Unpaid?
On January 24 2019, a Facebook user shared the following shutdown related meme to Facebook: Beneath a photograph of Donald Trump, his children, and their spouses, text stated: So get this … Last Night, Taxpayers Paid Donald Trump To Feed Donald
Truth or Fiction?→ Was a Mother Arrested After Leaving Kids in the Car for Nine Hours at a Buffet?
A September 2018 World News Daily Report item titled “Mother arrested for leaving children in the car for 9 hours while at all-you-can-eat buffet” circulates regularly on Facebook. The story has a mugshot that purports to show the mother in
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Donald Trump Say He Would ‘Gladly Take… Slings and Arrows’ of Criticism for His Supporters?
On January 21 2019, the Facebook page “We Love President Donald J. Trump” shared the following quotation meme: Beneath an image of Donald Trump, the text said: They knew they would throw every lie they could at me and my family and my love
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Preacher Say Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Was ‘Summoning Demons’ by Dancing?
On January 25 2019, the Facebook page “Pass The 28th Amendment (Complete Removal Of The Church From The State)” shared a news article about a preacher who purportedly claimed that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) was “summo
Truth or Fiction?→ Did House Democrats Vote Against Shutdown Back Pay in January 2019?
On January 22 2019, Rep. Dan Crenshaw tweeted: The depicted tweet said: Big deal that never got reported: Last week, House GOP voted to pay federal employees their 1st paycheck of 2019, despite shutdown. Only 6 Dems voted with us. It failed. Dem prior
Truth or Fiction?→ Does This Photograph Show the 2019 ‘March for Life’?
On January 20 2019, a Facebook user shared the following photograph and caption: Estimated 650,000 MARCH FOR LIFE IN D.C.! So thankful that we are seeing so many stand up for the innocent babies being killed every day in this nation. Over 2500 babies a
Truth or Fiction?→ Do Portraits Depict Agnès Sorel in the 1400s Exposing Her ‘Favorite Boob’?
In January 2019, screenshots of the following Twitter claim about Agnès Sorel, lover to King Charles VII of France, began circulating on Facebook: The tweet said: “Women in the past were modest and had more respect for themselves.” Here&#
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a School Use a Creative Black and White Floor to Keep Students from Running in Halls?
In January 2019, the Facebook page “Student Teacher Problems” shared the following image and caption: How the Art Teacher prevented students from running down the hallway The Facebook post did not contain any citation or other elements tha
Truth or Fiction?→ Is Nathan Phillips Lying About His Military Service in Order to Raise Money?
In the wake of the days-long Covington Catholic controversy, rumors spread about its central figures, Native American rights activist Nathan Phillips of the Omaha Nation and student Nick Sandmann. As the story continued to unfold, pushed along by a
Truth or Fiction?→ Was Activist Nathan Phillips in a Skrillex Video About ‘Attacking Police’?
After a mid-January 2019 Covington Catholic controversy made Native activist Nathan Phillips and student Nick Sandmann virally famous, dueling narratives struggled in a public narrative muddied by smears. Phillips was quickly accused by Big League Pol
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Covington Catholic Student’s Mother Tweet That She Wished Natives Received More ‘Smallpox Blankets’?
In the middle of the Covington Catholic controversy on January 21 2019, rumors circulated that Julie Sandmann (mother of Nicholas Sandmann) had published a tweet wishing “smallpox blankets” had killed additional Native Americans. Julie Sand
Truth or Fiction?→ Is This a Picture of Covington Catholic Students in Blackface Harassing a Basketball Player?
During an uproar following a viral video of Covington Catholic students surrounding a Native American man at the National Mall on January 19 2019, allegations surfaced that students from that institution had been photographed in blackface. On January 2
Truth or Fiction?→ Did the President Tweet in Support of a Covington Catholic Student?
On January 19 2019, Covington Catholic student Nick Sandmann was named in a viral video after a clip of his interaction with Native American activist Nathan Phillips at the National Mall spread across social media. In the ensuing controversy, a tweet
Truth or Fiction?→ Is Facebook Removing Inactive Members from Groups?
In January 2019, various posts appeared in myriad Facebook groups urging users to provide engagement with the post to avoid a purported purge of “inactive members.” Iterations of the same warning spread across Facebook groups of all types:
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Texas Ranchers Find ‘Prayer Rugs’ Near the U.S.-Mexico Border?
Amid a flurry of headlines about the government shutdown and Michael Cohen on January 18 2019, President Donald Trump tweeted a highly dubious claim that ranchers on the southern United States border had found “prayer rugs” as part of a pl
Truth or Fiction?→ Did the United States Authorize $50 Billion for the Secure Fence Act of 2006?
On January 10, 2019, a text-based status update about United States President George W. Bush’s Secure Fence Act of 2006Â went viral: President George W. Bush signed the Secure Fence Act of 2006 into law “approved $50 Billion for the wall
Truth or Fiction?→ Is This a Photograph of a Swan Hugging the Veterinarian Who Saved Its Life?
On January 12 2019, a Facebook user added the caption “The Swan embracing the veterinarian, who saved his life” to the photo below: Part of the image’s appeal seemed to be a long-circulating myth that swans are inherently dangerous a
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Marie Kondo Tell People They Could Only Keep Thirty Books at a Time?
After Netflix’s Tidying Up with Marie Kondo debuted in January 2019, social media lit up with takes lambasting Kondo’s supposedly draconian position on the possession of books: Wait Marie Kondo is telling people to toss their books? THEIR
Truth or Fiction?→ Did First Lady Melania Trump Announce a Child Wellness Initiative on the Same Day President Trump Asked for CHIP Cuts?
In January 2019 amid an ongoing government shutdown, a May 2018 Occupy Democrats meme showed up once again on Facebook: Under a photograph of Melania Trump and President Trump, text stated: Today, Melania Trump announced her new agenda, focused on
Truth or Fiction?→ Sen. Mitch McConnell Posing With Confederate Flag?
In early January 2019, an image that appears to show Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) posing in front of a large Confederate flag while receiving what appears to be either giving or receiving an award surfaced to circulate on social media: Alongsi
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Former U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis Say that ‘Pantyhose Wearing’ Politicians’ Gun Laws Angered Him?
In January 2019, Facebook page “The Original American Resistance” shared a meme attributing a quote to former United States Secretary of Defense James “Mad Dog” Mattis: The quote at the bottom of the image said: WHAT PISSES ME
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Democrat Government Shutdown’ Explained
In mid-January 2019, the Facebook page “I Love My Country” shared a status update meme with the title, “Democrat Government Shutdown Explained”: Amid scattered images of United States President Donald Trump, Sen. Chuck Schumer
Truth or Fiction?→ Is Nancy Pelosi Refusing to Meet with Any U.S. Citizen Who Had a Family Member Murdered by ‘an Illegal’?
In January 2019, a Facebook user posted a  status update that has since become virally popular. It said: IMAGINE THAT NANCY PELOSI IS REFUSING TO MEET WITH ANY U.S. CITIZEN WHO HAD A FAMILY MEMBER MURDERED BY AN ILLEGAL. The post appeared on its own
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence Call White House Fast Food a ‘Perfect Blue Collar’ Party?
In mid-January 2019, after United States President Donald Trump served visiting Clemson football players fast food in an understaffed White House during a record-breaking, ongoing government shutdown, a meme emerged with a purported quote from attendee
Truth or Fiction?→ Is Growing Vegetables in Your Own Yard Now Confirmed as a Criminal Offense?
In January 2019, the Facebook page “Herbs, Health, and Happiness” shared a Natural News item titled “Growing vegetables in your own yard now confirmed as a criminal offense by Florida courts … INSANITY is now LAW.” The sh
Truth or Fiction?→ Did President Trump Say ‘Illegal Immigration’ Has Been a Problem in the U.S. for ‘Thousands of Years’?
On January 6, 2019, the following status update appeared, paraphrasing purported comments made by United States President Donald Trump which described “illegal immigration” as an American problem for “thousands of years”: Th
Truth or Fiction?→ Chef Boyardee Bugs Video
On January 6, 2019, a Facebook user shared a video of purported bugs and insect pieces she found in a can of Chef Boyardee ravioli purchased the previous night at a Walmart in Enterprise, Alabama. In the clip, the user dissects a number of raviolis nex