On June 9 2023, a Twitter user shared a screenshot of a tweet featuring a purported photograph of a man wearing a “trans kids are sexy” shirt at an unspecified Pride event: That screenshot was shared as a response to a user objecting to ch
Publication: TruthOrFiction
Truth or Fiction?→ Is the United States ‘Giving Away Free Lighthouses’?
In late May 2023, social media posts about the United States “giving away free lighthouses” appeared on sites like Reddit and Twitter: US to give away free lighthouses as GPS makes them unnecessary by u/diacewrb in nott
Truth or Fiction?→ The Amanda Gorman Banned Book Controversy, Explained
On June 7 2023, amid right-wing book-banning attempts sweeping the United States, poet and author Amanda Gorman addressed the banning of her own book The Hill We Climb at a Florida elementary school. Her book was part of a longrunning controversy about
Truth or Fiction?→ The ‘Donald J. Trump Resuscitation Room’ at the White Plains Hospital
On June 6 2023, business reporter Max Abelson shared a photograph to Twitter which purportedly showed a “Donald J. Trump Resuscitation Room” at “the White Plains hospital”: A real thing in the White Plains hospital pic.twitte
Truth or Fiction?→ Florida Judge Hinkle Grants Gender-Affirming Care Injunction: ‘Gender Identity is Real’
On June 6 2023, several Reddit users submitted posts about a Florida judge’s ruling on gender-affirming care in the state, indicating a significant development: Federal judge blocks Florida’s ban on gender-affirming care for trans yo
Truth or Fiction?→ NYPD ‘ACAB’ Pride Car
In early June 2023, a post on r/WhitePeopleTwitter referenced a New York Police Department (NYPD) “Pride” vehicle, notable because the phrase “All Colors Are Beautiful” appeared in the Pride Month design motif: [A]l
Truth or Fiction?→ In a Friday News Dump, YouTube Announces Election Disinformation Policy Changes
On June 2 2023, a Reddit user shared a post claiming that YouTube altered a policy and was no longer restricting false claims about the 2020 election in the United States: YouTube changes policy to allow false claims about past US presidenti
Truth or Fiction?→ California Bill Supporting Journalists Passes Amid Facebook ‘Bullying Threat’
A bill that would impose a fee on tech platforms like Facebook for scraping and disseminating news stories passed in the California state assembly on June 1 2023 — despite an industry threat. Assembly Bill 886 (AB 886), a.k.a. the California Jour
Truth or Fiction?→ Elon Musk’s Pride Tweet
As Pride Month kicked off in June 2023, a post featuring a tweet attributed to Twitter owner Elon Musk was shared to Reddit’s r/WhitePeopleTwitter: From woke to joke by u/DemocracyStan in WhitePeopleTwitter The Reddi
Truth or Fiction?→ House Speaker Kevin McCarthy: ‘A Child That Has No Job’
On May 30 and 31 2023, screenshots of a tweet quoting House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) on a “child” who “has no job” were shared to Reddit’s r/WhitePeopleTwitter and r/lostgeneration: Get these kids i
Truth or Fiction?→ Boston University President Accuses Students of ‘the Cancel Culture’ for Booing Warner Bros. Head
The outgoing president of Boston University lashed out at graduating students who booed and heckled Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive David Zaslav while he was speaking at the university in the midst of a strike by the Writers’ Guild of Amer
Truth or Fiction?→ AOC Parody Account on Twitter Aims to Confuse
On May 30 2023, screenshots appeared of a tweet by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York), about a verified “parody account” targeting her: FYI there’s a fake account on here impersonating me and going viral. The Twitter CEO has e
Truth or Fiction?→ State Farm No Longer Insuring California Homes, Insurance Industry in Climate Crisis
On May 30 2023, The Recount tweeted about a purported decision by insurer State Farm, which would evidently no longer be accepting new applications from California homeowners: State Farm is no longer accepting new applications for homeowner insurance
Truth or Fiction?→ Ashley Babbitt Fundraiser Controversy
On May 29 2023, an Imgur account shared a screenshot of a tweet by Ron Filipkowski, claiming that the “guy who set up the Ashli Babbitt fund reportedly stole all the money”: The guy who set up the Ashli Babbitt fund reportedly stole all t
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Banner for This Juneteenth Event Feature Two White People?
A popular image featuring a banner showing white people while promoting a national holiday with roots in Black American history is legitimate — and showed the source of criticism around a Juneteenth event in Greenville, South Carolina. The photog
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Eugenicist Victim Blaming’: Disability Experts Criticize Story Painting COVID-19 as Near ‘Endemic’
A San Francisco television station’s story about an “endemic” phase to the COVID-19 pandemic alarmed disability experts and advocates. The story, aired by KGO-TV on May 22 2023, features Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine an
Truth or Fiction?→ Anthony Bourdain on Henry Kissinger
On May 26 2023, multiple accounts shared a quote attributed to celebrity chef and travel correspondent Anthony Bourdain, on the topic of former American diplomat Henry Kissinger and his legacy in Cambodia: Henry Kissinger turns 100 by
Truth or Fiction?→ HBO’s ‘Max’ Transition Drops Writer, Director Credits
On May 23 2023, a post on Reddit to r/movies claimed that when HBO Max rebranded as “Max,” the platform stopped crediting writer and directors: The new "Max" streaming service doesn’t credit the director and wri
Truth or Fiction?→ Target Caves to Weaponized Narratives, ‘Pulls’ Pride Items
On May 24 2023, Target issued a statement regarding Pride Month in 2023, disclosing a controversial decision to change course in response to purported violent threats against its employees: Target Statement on 2023 Pride Collection For more than a deca
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Only 11 People’ Responsible for Majority of ‘Book Ban’ Requests?
On May 23 2023, several social media posts popped up with the jarring claim that a majority of book removal or book ban requests in American schools were an effort by the same eleven individuals: This is what white minority rule looks like.https://t.
Truth or Fiction?→ Ann Coulter NAACP Tweet
On May 2023, a Reddit user shared an image to r/WhitePeopleTwitter, which was purportedly a screengrab of a tweet in which right-wing pundit Ann Coulter referenced a NAACP travel warning issued for Florida: The GOP needs to piss off by
Truth or Fiction?→ Rashid Buttar of the ‘Disinformation Dozen’ Reportedly Dies
On May 20 2023 social media rumors began circulating, claiming that health disinformation purveyor Rashid Buttar had died: Rashid Buttar, one of the Disinformation Dozen, Dies Suddenly – Nuts Blame the Covid Jab Even Though he was Unva
Truth or Fiction?→ Rep. Jack Kimble: ‘A Whopping 25% of American Students Are in the Bottom …’
On May 21 2023, a Reddit user shared a screenshot of a tweet about American students attributed to a “Rep. Jack Kimble” to the subreddit r/technicallythetruth: Can’t decide if this is satire by u/ShubhamG77 in tec
Truth or Fiction?→ Anti-Immigrant Claims Involving Homeless ‘Veterans’ Fall Apart
A group of homeless men in New York state were tricked into posing as veterans for the purposes of spreading a story shaming asylum seekers, the Mid-Hudson News reported on May 19 2023. “It was brought to my attention that two people came to the
Truth or Fiction?→ Was ‘Citi Bike Karen’ Right All Along, as Evidenced by a Receipt?
On May 19 2023, a highly popular Reddit post to r/facepalm was a confident assertion that “Citi Bike Karen” (a New York City nurse named Sarah Comrie) had been “right all along”: "Bike Karen" Was Right Aft
Truth or Fiction?→ Disney ‘Pulls Plug’ on Billion Dollar Florida Campus
On May 18 2023, a flurry of posts about Disney “pulling the plug” on a billion-dollar planned investment began appearing across social media, with popular posts on r/politics and r/LeopardsAteMyFace (twice): Disney Pulls Plug on
Truth or Fiction?→ L.A. Dodgers Capitulate to Right-Wing Campaign Against ‘Pride Night’
The Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team has disinvited a prominent drag performance and activism group following a campaign orchestrated by the Catholic League and supported by Marco Rubio (R-Florida). The team announced on May 17 2023 that it had resci
Truth or Fiction?→ Republican Senator Weighs in on Democracy: ‘Let’s Don’t Have Elections Anymore’
On May 16 2023 a Reddit account on r/WhitePeopleTwitter shared a Twitter screenshot which indicated that Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) stated that Americans shouldn’t “have elections any more” during an appearance on Newsmax:
Truth or Fiction?→ Did an Immunologist Group Post Video of Their Members Dancing Without Masks?
A video posted by the American Association of Immunologists (AAI) has drawn attention online for showing members partying without wearing masks, despite the potential risk for patients they might encounter after leaving the event. The AAI posted a 20-s
Truth or Fiction?→ Ron DeSantis and the ‘Let Them Die Act’
On May 15 2023, an Imgur account shared a recent tweet by Alejandra Caraballo (@Esqueer_) describing purported legislation in Florida as the “Let Them Die Act”: Ron DeSantis just signed the "Let Them Die Act" which allows medic
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘It’s Just Disgusting’: E. Jean Carroll Considering Suing Trump Again After CNN ‘Town Hall’
Author and veteran journalist E. Jean Carroll said she is considering filing a new defamation suit against disgraced former U.S. President Donald Trump in the wake of a heavily-criticized “town hall” broadcast on CNN. “Everything̵
Truth or Fiction?→ Can the Texas Governor Now Overturn Election Results?
On May 11 2023, Imgur account u/Lanhdanan shared a meme claiming that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) bas been granted the ability to overturn Texas election results: No link was attached to the post providing context for the claim. However, three of the
Truth or Fiction?→ Eric Adams Keeps Spreading Disinformation About ‘Fentanyl-Laced Cannabis’
Despite evidence to the contrary, New York City mayor Eric Adams (D) has continued using public speaking appearances to push the idea that children are buying marijuana laced with fentanyl. In the most recent example, journalist Rebecca C. Lewis of Cit
Truth or Fiction?→ The ‘TikTok Benadryl Challenge’
On April 17 2023, a viral tweet about a deadly “Benadryl challenge” spreading on TikTok claimed that a boy in Ohio died after participating in it: 13-year-old dead after trying deadly TikTok “Benadryl challenge” The challenge is where
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Angry Mob of Antifa’: Robocall Attacks ‘Tennessee Three’ with Regurgitated Smears
A “robocall” circulating in Tennessee is spreading false accusations about the trio of Democratic state lawmakers dubbed the “Tennessee Three” in the wake of their being targeted by their Republican counterparts for expulsion fr
Truth or Fiction?→ Proposed Bill Would ‘Fine Texans for Multiple Environmental Complaints’ That Don’t Result in ‘Enforcement’
On April 17 2023, posts about purported proposed environmental legislation in Texas circulated on social media: A bill proposed in TX would allow TCEQ to fine *residents* for complaining too much about facilities that pollute their air/water/land. E
Truth or Fiction?→ Clarence Thomas ‘Defunct Real Estate Firm’ Controversy
On April 16 2023, a Twitter screenshot was shared to r/WhitePeopleTwitter, claiming that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas claimed income from “a defunct real estate firm” for almost two decades: Resign! by u/monaleepari
Truth or Fiction?→ Missouri State Senator on ’12-Year-Old Marriage’
On April 12 2023, a Reddit user shared a post to r/WhitePeopleTwitter, claiming that Missouri State Sen. Mike Moon (R) argued in favor of child marriage: The party of “FaMilY ValUeS” by u/IReallyDontCare91 in WhitePeopleTwitter
Truth or Fiction?→ Clay Higgins’ ‘Library’ Tweet
On April 13 2023, an Imgur account shared a screenshot of a March 2023 tweet about libraries attributed to Rep. Clay Higgins (R-Louisiana): It was dated March 23 2023, and it pledged to “change the whole public library paradigm”: Over time
Truth or Fiction?→ Retracted COVID-19 Vaccine Study Was Funded by Anti-Vaxxer
A Michigan State University economist’s study — which was criticized for claiming that COVID-19 vaccines could be blamed nearly 300,000 deaths — was retracted after the revelation that it was funded by an anti-vaccine former federal o