On July 17 2022, a Twitter account shared a short TikTok clip by “kenforflorida,” described as “politicians using TikTok properly”: Here’s to politicians using TikTok properly lmao pic.twitter.com/VY7kOgjgE8 — Sonia B
Publication: reddit
Snopes→ Online Photo Does Not Show Hunter Biden with Underage Girls
Following the alleged hacking of Hunter Biden's iCloud account, a picture was passed around that showed a man on a couch surrounded by five young girls.
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘San Diego Lights All the Fireworks at Once’
On July 4 2022, a Reddit account shared an informatively titled post to r/funny, “happy 4th of July folks it’s the 11th anniversary of the infamous San Diego fireworks show where they all went off at once”: happy 4th of Jul
Snopes→ Is the Video of ‘Marines Perform Boarding Exercises with Jetpacks’ Real?
A video of a man using a jetpack out at sea near a military ship was posted on Facebook, which led readers to ask us about it.
Snopes→ Did Video Show Russian Missile ‘Boomerang’ in Ukraine, Striking Troops Who Launched It?
We looked for the origins of a viral video that supposedly showed a Russian missile undergoing an "epic malfunction" in Ukraine.
Truth or Fiction?→ $7250 ‘Westwood Lake’ Housing Advertisement from 1955
On June 20 2022, Twitter user @glory_manz shared a purported old advertisement for “Westwood Lake,” featuring houses priced at $7450: They really had it easy back then pic.twitter.com/VQmizZlO5R — King Glocky (@glory_manz) June 20,
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘In 2014, This French Weather Presenter Announced the Forecast for August 18, 2050’
On June 15 2022, a viral tweet a sobering claim — that a 2014 French weather forecast “for 2050” wound up matching the real-life French weather forecast in June 2022: In 2014, this French weather presenter announced the forecast for
Truth or Fiction?→ Uvalde Body Cam Footage Suppressed?
On June 13 2022, a Reddit user on r/WhitePeopleTwitter shared a screenshot of two tweets about the purported refusal by Texas police to release body cam footage from the Uvalde school shooting: yup yup yup from WhitePeopleTwitter
Snopes→ Were Starbucks Charity Food Donations Left in a Dumpster?
We reached out to both Starbucks and Feeding America to ask about a viral tweet that supposedly showed discarded food meant for people in need.
Snopes→ Did Fox News and Candace Owens Tweet About ‘Ivermectin’s Hidden Cost’?
A purported screenshot claimed Fox News tweeted about "new studies" that found ivermectin users suffered "long-term bowel and urinary incontinence."
Truth or Fiction?→ Was the Original Roe v. Wade Decision Leaked?
On May 5 2022, popular posts claimed that the “original Roe v. Wade decision was leaked, too,” addressing assertions that the May 2022 leak of a Supreme Court draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was “unprecedented”: Fact-ch
Snopes→ EcoPlus Ad Shows Coke Poured into Car’s Gas Tank
We reached out to a company spokesperson to ask about this very bad idea that was advertised as a "simple trick to lower car fuel consumption by 55%."
Truth or Fiction?→ Ulta Kate Spade Email Controversy
On May 2 2022, myriad social media accounts posted about an unfortunate Ulta/Kate Spade promotion, with horrified postings to Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit about a poorly-conceived email: Should they have thought before sending out an email
Truth or Fiction?→ Tennessee Drunk Driving Child Support Bill
On April 22 2022, posts on Imgur and Reddit alluded to a purported new bill in Tennessee requiring “drunk drivers” to pay child support if their actions led to the death of a parent of a minor child or children: A post was published by a n
Truth or Fiction?→ Russian Racer Competing Under Italian Flag Gave Nazi Salute on Podium
A Russian race car driver attracted international notice in April 2022 after apparently demonstrating a Nazi salute on stage following a race, then laughing: An investigation has been launched into the “unacceptable conduct” of a Russian junior
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘1970 and 2022 Are as Far Apart as 1970 and 1918 … I’m Just Going to Need a Minute’
In early 2022, social media posts claiming “1970 and 2022 are as far apart as 1970 and 1918” circulated on Facebook and Twitter. Typically, the posts appeared as status update images, and variations read: “I was just reminded that 197
Snopes→ Did Ben Shapiro Tweet About a ‘Hot’ and ‘Beautiful’ Sister?
We looked for the origins of two supposed tweets where the conservative commentator mentioned his sister's appearance.
Truth or Fiction?→ Chabad Emissaries’ Shabbat Evacuation Effort
On March 6 2022, several popular Facebook posts shared an image and story about how Ukrainian-speaking Chabad emissaries spent Shabbat making phone calls to urge Ukrainian Jews to evacuate; a version of the post was broken up into several tweets on th
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Ukraine Looters Taped to Poles’
On March 7 2022, a screenshot of the following reply tweet purportedly depicting a Russian soldier caught looting in Ukraine appeared on Imgur and elsewhere: My favorite….this Russian soldier was marking buildings for rocket hits…and was doing a
Snopes→ Does This Photo Show a Gas Station with a Full Bar Inside?
The picture was posted to the r/mildlyinteresting subreddit on Reddit with the caption: "The gas station by my house has a full bar inside."
Truth or Fiction?→ Origin of ‘Goodbye’
On February 21 2022, an Imgur user shared a Tumblr screenshot, purportedly explaining the origin of the word “goodbye” in English: Entitled “Chat speak,” the post was not the first linguistically-themed meme to spread on social
Snopes→ Are Unsold SUVs in This Photo ‘Almost Being Given Away’?
A photograph of rows of "unsold SUVs" purportedly waiting to be "given away" was displayed in online advertisements.
Snopes→ Is Pharrell’s Beverly Hills Mansion Listed for $17 Million?
A comical Reddit post in 2022 referenced an old tweet, which led us to Zillow to check dates and prices.
Snopes→ Does Photo Show Baby Feeding from Goat’s Udders in 1927?
In the black-and-white picture, a mother sits on the floor inside a house while holding a baby to feed from the animal.
Snopes→ Was ‘World’s Largest Log Cabin’ Oregon’s Forestry Building?
A picture of two children posing with a balloon in front of Oregon's massive Forestry Building is real, but the caption it's often shared with is a bit off.
Snopes→ Do These Pics Show Book Burnings in 1933 and 2022?
The photo comparison made it to the top of the front page of Reddit on Feb. 4, 2022.
Snopes→ Did a Police Drug Raid Unexpectedly Find a Bitcoin Farm Instead?
This rumor took us to the town of Santiponce, Spain, which is near Seville.
Snopes→ Is the Video of Pills Burning on Top of a Stove Real?
The video showed 10 pills growing into a snake-like form above the flames from the stovetop that might remind some readers of Medusa.
Truth or Fiction?→ Jim Carrey ‘It’s Really Sad That So Much of Our Society Says Thank God It’s Friday …’
On January 14 2022, an Imgur user shared the following purported tweet, attributed to Jim Carrey and referring to the standard five of seven days workweek: It said: It’s really sad that so much of our society says “Thank god it’s Fri
Truth or Fiction?→ Travis Scott and Astroworld: Occult Conspiracies Follow Festival Tragedy
The November 5 2021 “crowd crush” tragedy at Travis Scott’s Astroworld festival in Houston, Texas prompted extensive discussion on social media — complete with major threads focusing on purported occult overtones surrounding the
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Kyle Rittenhouse’s Trial Opens with His Lawyer Saying the N-Word Twice in Court’
On November 4 2021, a Reddit user shared a purported headline, “Kyle Rittenhouse’s trial opens with his lawyer saying the N-word twice in court,” to r/MarchAgainstNazis: Need I say more? from MarchAgainstNazis
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘US Student Loans Cost the Government over $60B More to Service Than They Bring in a Year’
On October 21 2021 — against a backdrop of a long-running national discussion about student debt — a tweet asserting that “US student loans cost the government over $60B more to service than they bring in a year” became virally
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Swedish TV Accidentally Puts Subtitles from a Kids’ Show over a Political Debate’
An October 2 2021 Facebook post (screengrab included) contained a claim that a Swedish TV station accidentally put subtitles from children’s’ programming over a political debate: Beneath an apparent username from an unspecified platform
Truth or Fiction?→ Phoenix Koi Chinese Restaurant Vaccine Discount Sign
On September 2 2021, an Imgur account shared an image that was purportedly of a sign from Phoenix Koi Chinese Restaurant, offering a “95% discount” for vaccine card holders, and some additional commentary, too: Featured in the image was a
Truth or Fiction?→ 9/11 Stair Climb Treadmill Post
In late August 2021, a September 2018 Facebook post recirculated — purportedly a candid image captured at a gym, depicting a firefighter “on the stair climber in full equipment” ascending 110 floors in memory of the firefighters kille
Truth or Fiction?→ Leviticus 13:45-46
On August 21 2021, a Facebook account shared a Twitter screenshot which purportedly quoted Leviticus 13:45-46 in reference to ongoing debates regarding masks and social distancing: The Bible doesn't mention anything about masks, so quit referenc
Truth or Fiction?→ Are Japan’s Olympic Medals Made From Recycled Electronics?
On August 6 2021, an Imgur account shared the following image, which purportedly showed Japan’s 2021 Olympic medals, fashioned from recycled laptops and phones: Titled “Congrats on winning, here is some e-waste,” text above an image
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘On This Day in 1944, Polish Resistance Fighters Liberated 348 Jewish Prisoners from the Gęsiówka Labor Camp’
On August 5 2021, an Imgur account shared the following “on this day in history” meme about the liberation of the Gęsiówka labor camp in 1944: A “flair” (“Historical”) marker on the post suggested that it was a
Snopes→ Can You Replace Your Grass with Red Creeping Thyme?
Arguments in favor of the practice claim it is a better-for-the-planet alternative.
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Socialism Sucks’ Meme
In June 2021 (and earlier) a screenshot of a Reddit meme about “why socialism sucks” circulated, with a meme purportedly showing Cuba and Detroit — not “USA” and “USSR” as the text indicated: Seriously pic.tw