Just as disinformation against vaccinations resurfaced yet again in 2021, so too did a cartoon warning readers about the dangers it brings. The oddly topical cartoon shows four men — identified as an “anti-vaccinationist,” a “fa
Publication: reporting
Truth or Fiction?→ Anti-Vaccine Disinformation Still Going Strong on Social Media: Report
Just twelve accounts are responsible for fully two-thirds of online disinformation about vaccines — but social media platforms still aren’t doing much about them. In a follow-up to a report tracking a majority of disinformation about vaccin
Truth or Fiction?→ Native American Journalists Call On Cohorts to ‘Withdraw Support from CNN’ after Pundit’s Racist Comments
The Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) called on fellow industry advocacy groups to push back against CNN in response to inaccurate and racist comments by one of the news network’s pundits. The group made the request in the wake of pa
Truth or Fiction?→ Alleged Billboard Renews Interest in Online Campaign to ‘Bring Back Tony Stark to Life’
On April 22 2021, a fan campaign seeking to resurrect the Marvel Studios version of the character Tony Stark drew attention on social media with what appeared to be a photo of a billboard. We contacted Outfront Media, the company which owns the billboa
Truth or Fiction?→ Rap Legend DMX’s Death Confirmed Hours After Confusion Online
Hip-hop icon DMX died on April 9 2021, hours after confusion spread on social media thanks to premature reports of his passing. The music news outlet XXL posted a statement sent by the rapper’s representatives: We are deeply saddened to announce
Truth or Fiction?→ Comedian Reveals Himself as Creator of Viral ‘Darla From Amazon’ Twitter Account
A Chicago comedian revealed on March 30 2021 that he was the creator of at least one Twitter account that had users wondering whether it was a real “ambassador” for Amazon, as the tech megacorporation faced both a unionization vote and more
Truth or Fiction?→ Facebook’s Zuckerberg Falsely Tells Lawmakers ‘We Don’t Allow’ Disinformation in Ads
Facebook chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg misrepresented his company’s disinformation policy on advertising while testifying to federal lawmakers on March 25 2021. Zuckerberg made the false claim — which flies in the face of his comp
Truth or Fiction?→ Online Conspiracy Theorists Swarm ‘HRC’ Suez Canal Boat Jam
Reports of a container ship creating a traffic jam on the Suez Canal in Egypt quickly became grist for online conspiracy theorists, who spun the story into another smear against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. As the BBC reported, the Ever G
Truth or Fiction?→ Far-Right U.S. Legislators Using Disinformation to Gain, Strengthen Positions
Even as acolytes of former United States president Donald Trump consider running to replace retiring Republicans, his allies already in the U.S. government are trying to throw up barriers to passing broadly popular legislation — but all are leani
Truth or Fiction?→ Law Professor Refutes Trump Attorneys’ Attempt to Cite Him in Impeachment Defense
An effort to sow weaponized disinformation benefiting former United States president Donald Trump ahead of his second impeachment trial was blunted in early February 2021, when the legal scholar cited by his attorneys publicly debunked their claims. T
Truth or Fiction?→ Conspiracy-Slinging Lawmaker Caught Encouraging Parkland Shooting ‘False Flag’ Lie
Journalists looking into the history of a newly sworn-in, QAnon-friendly Republican legislator have discovered that she has a history of conspiracy theories and disinformation around mass shootings. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene encouraged the c
Truth or Fiction?→ How to Fight Disinformation: Part II — Gaslighting
This is part of an ongoing series about how communities can fight back and protect themselves against weaponized disinformation. You can read Part I here. On January 6 2021, a mob of Donald Trump supporters, enraged by corrosive rhetoric and lies fr
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘We Need 100 Percent of People Indoors’
Online flailing in support of outgoing United States President Donald Trump was accompanied by yet another go-round for a meme proclaiming — falsely — that Trump would be fulfilling the mission of the anti-Semitic conspiracy theory known a
Truth or Fiction?→ Twitter Finally Shuts Down Donald Trump’s Account
Two days after he incited an attack by his supporters on the U.S. Capitol and just over two months after he decisively lost the 2020 election to Democratic Party candidate Joe Biden, outgoing United States President Donald Trump was ousted again ̵
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘A Dangerous Threat’: Simon and Schuster Dumps Right-Wing Lawmaker’s Book
Publishers Simon & Schuster canceled plans on January 7 2021 to release a book by Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley (R) after it was spotted on the company’s website. The company had been promoting a book in which Hawley was regurgitating the false
Truth or Fiction?→ Amid Fascist Coup Attempt, Twitter Cowers From Banning Donald Trump
Even as he incited a far right, explicitly fascist coup attempt against the American government, Twitter refused to say whether it would remove outgoing United States President Donald Trump’s account on the platform: A company spokesperson told
Truth or Fiction?→ Citing Conspiracy Theories, Pennsylvania Republicans Refuse to Seat Democratic Party Senator
As Pennsylvania’s legislature convened on January 5 2021 to commence its new two-year session, its Republican majority is blocking Sen. Jim Brewster (a Democrat) of Allegheny County from taking the oath of office: At the heart of the dispute is
Truth or Fiction?→ Right-Wing Senator’s Claim of ‘Antifa’ Attack Debunked by Protesters’ Video
A right-wing U.S. lawmaker’s attempt to claim that “Antifa” threatened his family was immediately debunked by video showing a peaceful protest outside his home. The activist group ShutdownDC streamed video of its demonstration on Jan
Truth or Fiction?→ Georgia Republican’s Photograph Brings Back Concern Over ‘White Power’ Gesture
Heading into one of two Senate runoff elections in Georgia, a photograph of right-wing incumbent Sen. David Perdue — and the purported intent behind it — received newfound attention in January 2021, including a side debate over whether it
Truth or Fiction?→ Why a Wisconsin Pharmacist Allegedly Destroyed COVID-19 Vaccines
Wisconsin pharmacist Steven Brandenburg was arrested on December 31 2020 after he reportedly destroyed 57 vials (or more than 500 doses) of coronavirus vaccine, possibly intentionally. On January 4 2020, Ozaukee County District Attorney Adam Gerol add
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘George Soros With the Owner of Smartmatic’
As conspiracy theorists continued trying to convince themselves that Donald Trump did not definitively lose the November 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden, they also found another way to recycle — yet again — a reliable boogeyman in
Truth or Fiction?→ Twisted Tea Circle K Fight Video Spreads Virally
On December 24 2020, “Twisted Tea” became a popular trending term in the wake of footage showing an altercation at an Ohio Circle-K. Footage of the incident, which involved racial slurs and a can of Twisted Tea, was shared to r/PublicFrea
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Vanity and Greed’: Despite Disinformation Crises, Facebook Continues Making Inroads Into Major Newsrooms
Despite years of scrutiny now yielding a whole slew of lawsuits — such as those announced in the United States, Australia, and Germany in late 2020 — Facebook is continuing to pursue partnerships with news organizations, despite major c
Truth or Fiction?→ Former Houston Police Captain Arrested, Allegedly Paid $266,400 by ‘Liberty Center for God and Country’ to ‘Investigate Electoral Fraud’
In an unnerving example of how disinformation can erupt into the real world, former Houston police captain Mark Aguirre was arrested on December 15 2020 in connection with a strange, sprawling conspiracy theory involving political megadonors and fanta
Truth or Fiction?→ How to Fight Disinformation — Part I: Firehosing
This is part of an ongoing series about how communities can fight back and protect themselves against weaponized disinformation. Any anthropologist can tell you that human lives are created, bounded, and defined by stories: the stories we tell ourselv
Truth or Fiction?→ Activists Accuse Facebook of Ignoring Warning on Neo-Nazi Groups’ Spread
An activist group combating the proliferation of white supremacist propaganda online accused Facebook in a November 2020 report of failing to act when alerted to the spread of one such network on its platforms in 2018. “Facebook’s leadersh
Truth or Fiction?→ Zuckerberg Doubles Down on Not Banning Steve Bannon in Senate Hearing
Facebook chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg has claimed in testimony to federal lawmakers that far-right broadcaster and Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon’s recent call for the decapitation of federal officials did not warrant being banned
Truth or Fiction?→ Trump’s Disinformation Spree After Losing Election Propelled by Social Media
In the days after a resounding popular vote loss to former United States Vice President Joe Biden, sitting president Donald Trump advanced numerous conspiracy theories before beginning to deny the results of the election outright. The first set of con
Truth or Fiction?→ Trump’s Disinformation Spree After Losing Election Propelled by Social Media
In the days after a resounding popular vote loss to former United States Vice President Joe Biden, sitting president Donald Trump advanced numerous conspiracy theories before beginning to deny the results of the election outright. The first set of con
Truth or Fiction?→ Trump Defeat Denialists Use Facebook to Promote ‘MAGA Marches’
Events and groups denying the defeat of outgoing United States President Donald Trump continue to fester on Facebook in November 2020 — despite the platform taking action following a report by activist group Avaaz. We discovered at least one gro
Truth or Fiction?→ Questions Over ex-GOP Official’s Tweet Leads to Patti LaBelle’s ‘Anti-Feminist’ Relative
A former Republican official’s allegedly misplaced Twitter message on November 10 2020 led to allegations of online chicanery that culminated in the public outing of an “anti-feminist TV critic” purportedly related to legendary singe
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Burning 80 Trump Ballots’
As ballots continued to be counted in the U.S. presidential election, a questionable video with the equally questionable claim that someone had set several ballots marked with votes for President Donald Trump on fire suddenly appeared on social media
Truth or Fiction?→ Anonymous ‘US Politics Polls’ Twitter Account Spreading Election Disinformation
An anonymous Twitter account presenting itself as political analysis set itself to spreading disinformation on the last night of the U.S. elections on November 3 2020. The account, which called itself “US Politics Polls,” posted several fa
Truth or Fiction?→ Flint Robocalls Purportedly Advised Voters to Avoid Long Lines and ‘Vote Tomorrow’
Election Day 2020 brought with it expectations of widespread, ongoing attempts at voter suppression — and those expectations bore out early and often. One report from Flint, Michigan concerned “robocalls” warning of long lines at
Truth or Fiction?→ Pennsylvania Bakery Cookie Poll’s ‘Landslide’ Result Goes Viral
Less than a day before Election Day (November 3 2020), “PA bakery cookie poll” spiked as a search term and a topic of interest on social media: Let’s just say the cookie has red frosting “Pa. bakery's 'cookie poll,' w
Truth or Fiction?→ As U.S. Election Looms, Agitprop Floods Social Media Platforms
In the days leading up to the 2020 U.S. presidential election, the disinformation that has been a hallmark of the Trump campaign, then administration, then campaign again reached new heights with political smears, Soviet-style weaponized conspiracy t
Truth or Fiction?→ Threatening Messages Sent to Democratic Party Voters in Battleground States
In a preview of more organized disinformation campaigns to come in the 2020 U.S. elections and subsequent interregnum period, Democratic Party voters in swing states received threatening emails the week of October 19 2020, ordering them to switch thei
Truth or Fiction?→ The Saga of Hunter Biden’s Laptop
On October 14 2020, as increasingly bold or desperate attempts from all corners to sway the November 2020 U.S. elections reached a fever pitch, a story appeared in the New York Post about Hunter Biden, son of Democratic Party presidential candidate Jo
Truth or Fiction?→ Suspects in Whitmer Kidnapping Plot Used Facebook as a Recruitment Tool
Social media accounts of several people arrested and charged with conspiring to kidnap Michigan’s Democratic Party governor Gretchen Whitmer were devoted to supporting or promoting right-wing disinformation, according to investigators and conten
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Debat’ Trends After Rudy Giuliani Tweets, Deletes a Cryptic Comment
On the morning of October 1 2020, “Debat” was a Twitter trending topic — largely populated with memes and references to New York City’s former mayor Rudy Giuliani. Ever on top of internet trends, a social media account for the