On May 2 2021, a Reddit user shared an undated screenshot to r/MadeMeSmile, showing a tweet describing how the Navajo Nation donated personal protective equipment, or PPE, to India; the image was shared to Imgur a few hours later: Navajo Nat
Publication: viral content
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Japanese Police Shoot Paintballs at Fleeing Vehicles’ Meme
On April 17 2021, a Facebook page shared the following meme, which asserted that law enforcement in Japan uses paintballs as a means of marking vehicles involved in crime: Underneath a photograph of a vehicle covered with splotches of orange paint, te
Truth or Fiction?→ Michael Collins: ‘If You Had Any Balls …’
Memorials, reminiscing, and memes following the death of astronaut Michael Collins in April 2021. We saw one popular meme pop up again and again, claiming that when Neil Armstrong was pondering what he might say as he stepped onto the surface of the
Truth or Fiction?→ What is an ‘Apology Dinner’?
On April 29 2021, “Apology Dinner” became a Twitter trending topic — sufficiently popular to warrant a Twitter blurb explaining the phrase: Many people are confused about the concept of an apology dinner after a woman shared in a vir
Truth or Fiction?→ Apollo 11 Customs Form
On April 29 2021 (a day after the passing of Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins was reported), historian Michael Beschloss tweeted an interesting image — specifically, a purported United States Customs declaration form filed after the crew of th
Truth or Fiction?→ Folajimi Olubunmi-Adewole Jumped Into the Thames to Rescue a London Bridge Jumper
On April 26 2021, the UK-based Facebook page “North East News desk” shared a post about a London man named Folajimi Olubunmi-Adewole, who died while rescuing a woman attempting suicide. In addition to two photographs of Olubunmi-Adewole,
Truth or Fiction?→ Academy Awards ‘Savage’ Response to Trump’s Oscars Statement
On April 28 2021, an Imgur post (“The Academy is savage”) purportedly showed a statement in response to former United States President Donald Trump attributed to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: Contents of the Screenshot
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Beauty and the Beast’ Animatronics at Disneyland Tokyo
On April 23 2021, a Reddit user shared a post (“Disneyland Tokyo is making a Beauty and the Beast ride, the animatronics look insane”) to r/gifs, including a short looping clip of the highly realistic attraction features: Disneyl
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Pockets in Dresses Were Phased Out So Women Could Prove They Were Not Witches’
On April 19 2021, a Facebook user shared a screenshot of a tweet claiming that pockets had been “phased out” of women’s dresses due to accusations of witchcraft, and so that women could prove that they were not hiding spells, herbs, o
Truth or Fiction?→ Scannable QR Code in the Sky in Shanghai
On April 23 2021, an Imgur user shared a purportedly recent photograph from Shanghai, depicting a giant scannable QR code in the night sky: Two days earlier, a Facebook user shared a clearer photograph, describing the QR code display as the “fut
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘The Tax Increase Doesn’t Apply to the Whole Salary, Just the Amount Above $400,000’
On April 21 2021, an Imgur account shared an undated Twitter screenshot; the tweet was originally by the account by @davenewworld_2 (Fifty Shades of Whey) in October 2020: The tax increase doesn't apply to the whole salary, just the amount abov
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Columbus Police Not Arrest Anyone After a College ‘Party’ That Left Cars Overturned?
As criticism swirled around the police department in Columbus, Ohio for its extrajudicial killing of 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant, more than a few commenters on social media pointed out that officers seemed much less aggressive when it came to a lo
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Monastery of Sakia, Library Found in Tibet Containing 84,000 Secret Manuscripts’
A February 6 2021 Facebook post purportedly detailed the discovery of a hidden library at a monastery in Tibet which contained thousands of “secret manuscripts”: The Post As originally written, the post read: ¡Increíble! Biblioteca encont
Truth or Fiction?→ Are Birth Control Pills 1000 Times More Likely To Cause Blood Clots Than The J&J Vaccine?
An April 13 2021 Facebook screenshot of a tweet was part of disordered discourse surrounding a “pause” by the Biden administration of the Johnson & Johnson shot for COVID-19. As conspiracy theories about and disinformation about the eff
Truth or Fiction?→ Was a U.S. Army Sergeant Caught On Video Harassing a Black Youth?
A white sergeant in the U.S. Army was arrested on April 14 2021, days after video spread online of him berating a Black youth in a subdivision near Columbia, South Carolina. The local Post & Courier newspaper confirmed that 42-year-old Jonathan Pen
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘In 2020, There Were 18 Days When Police Officers Didn’t Kill Anyone At All’
On April 14 2021, Imgur user ButtBot9900 shared a screenshot of a tweet by an account called @LAPDParody, which claimed there were only “18 days in 2020” where American police officers “didn’t kill anyone at all.” No date
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘George Floyd’s Girlfriend Was Daunte Wright’s Teacher, Fred Hampton’s Mom Babysat Emmett Till’
An April 13 2021 tweet made an unsettling claim — that the girlfriend of George Floyd was Daunte Wright’s teacher, and that Fred Hampton’s mother occasionally babysat Emmett Till: Finding out that George Floyd’s girlfriend was Dau
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Police in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota Raise a ‘Thin Blue Line’ Flag?
As criticism swirled around law enforcement in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota — following yet another extrajudicial killing by police — the department was also spotted mounting a flag outside its offices commonly associated with far-right propa
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Under Stalin, Repression Was So Severe That Soviet Gulags Held 22% Of the World’s Prison Population’
On April 8 2021, Imgur user “superscout0233” shared the following meme with a fakeout ending, initially stating that “under [Joseph] Stalin,” the Soviet Union’s gulags held 22 percent of the world’s prison population
Truth or Fiction?→ Was ‘Syndrome K’ a Fake Illness Invented By Italian Doctors to Save Jewish People From Nazis?
On April 8 2021, Imgur user “ThisTimeLastYear” reposted the history meme below, which claimed that Italian doctors once developed a fictitious disease called “Syndrome K” to hide Jewish people from advancing Nazis: A disease f
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘A 1916 Propaganda Map Created by the Allies During World War I’
On April 6 2021, an Imgur user shared a screenshot of an undated tweet that purportedly depicted a “propaganda map” created by the Allied powers during the first World War: A 1916 propaganda map created by the Allies during World War I.
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Spring/Summer PSA’ on Rabbit Nests and Mowing
As spring began in the Northern Hemisphere, screenshots of a post warning readers planning yardwork to be on the lookout for rabbits and their nests began to circulate: We were able to track down what appeared to be the original post (frequently share
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘This Superman Poster From the 1950s Is Pretty Awesome’
On April 6 2020, Imgur user u/Crabsforeveryone shared a “pretty awesome” poster of Superman which was purportedly released in the 1950s: That post was image-only, with no links indicating whether the poster was accurately represented. Text
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Harvard University Branch of the Ku Klux Klan’ in 1924
On March 28 2021, the Facebook page “Bread and Roses 1912-2012” shared the following post, purportedly showing a Harvard University branch of the Ku Klux Klan in 1924: A status update/caption asserted: Members of the Harvard University bra
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘A Click Farm in Asia Where Low Paid Workers Are Used to Inflate Video Views and Trick Advertisers’
On April 1 2021, the following post to Reddit’s r/interestingasfuck hit r/all, purportedly depicting a low-paid “click farm” employee on the job — sitting in front of dozens of iPhones and smartphones, presumably engaged in clic
Truth or Fiction?→ Harvard’s ‘Anti-Asian Racism Resources’: ‘You May Wish That You Weren’t Asian’
Just before midnight on March 30 2021, Harvard student and journalist Matteo Wong published a tweet thread about a Harvard University “anti-Asian racism resources” page — primarily, a purported section offering that readers “m
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?→ ‘Minimum Wage Would Be $44 [in 2021] If It Grew at the Same Pace as Wall Street Bonuses’
On March 29 and 30 2021, social media posts claiming the minimum wage would be $44 in 2021 if it had risen at the same rate as “Wall Street bonuses” were enormously, virally popular on Twitter and Imgur: Had the minimum wage increased at
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Physical Books Continue to Massively Outsell E-Books Every Year’
On March 27 2021, the Facebook page “Little Free Library” shared a screenshot of a tweet by Twitter account @UberFacts: Physical books continue to massively outsell e-books every year — UberFacts (@UberFacts) March 17, 2021 It said
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Miss Universe Parade of National Costumes’ Facebook Post
In March 2021, a February 2016 Facebook image gallery circulated, purportedly showing the “Parade of National Costumes” in a Miss Universe pageant. The page also commented, “Please watch this FULLY XD.” Roughly 35 images were at
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Nose Only Mask for Eating’ Purportedly Developed by Mexican Researchers
On March 25 2021 a Rumble.com post went viral, titled “ABSURD: Researchers Design New Mask to Wear While EATING.” What followed was not a news item, nor a video. After a lengthy advertisement played, the “content” of the post wa
Truth or Fiction?→ Kaitlin Bennett ‘WAP’ Tweet
In March 2021, screenshots of a tweet attributed to “Kent State gun girl” Kaitlin Bennett began circulating in which Bennett interpreted the song “WAP,” an explicit and sexually provocative song that has become grist for the far
Truth or Fiction?→ Walmart ‘Going Plastic Bag Free’ Giveaway Posts
On March 23 2021, a purported (and popular) Walmart post circulated on Facebook, promising a “$75 voucher” and pledging Walmart would “go plastic bag free” in 2021. That post was intermittently accessible and formatted as an alb
Truth or Fiction?→ Yes, Krispy Kreme Is Giving Free Donuts to Vaccinated People in 2021
On March 22 2021, a number of outlets reported that Krispy Kreme was supporting the drive to vaccinate Americans against COVID-19 with an interesting promotion — one free donut per vaccinated person per day in 2021. On that date, a WAGA-TV articl
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Metal Coasters Made from Cars Wrecked in Drunk Driving Accidents’
A March 18 2021 Imgur post (“Stay Safe”) featured the following image, purportedly showing bar coasters made of metal salvaged from cars which were destroyed in drunk driving accidents: Text on the top of the image read: Local bar has meta
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Coffee with Cotton Candy’ Facebook Post
A March 9 2021 Facebook meme purportedly shows a fanciful coffee with a cotton candy cloud perched above it — arranged so that the heat from the hot drink created cotton candy “rain”: Words on the image read: This coffee is served wit
Truth or Fiction?→ Did the Cop Who Blamed a ‘Very Bad Day’ for Fatal Georgia Shootings Promote Racist Shirts?
The Georgia law enforcement spokesperson who drew criticism for apparently downplaying the motive behind a rash of fatal shooting attacks on March 17 2021 came under even more scrutiny online, after reports that he promoted shirts pushing a racist R
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Imagine Living in This Apartment Complex in Hong Kong’
A March 13 2021 Facebook post reading “imagine living in this apartment complex in Hong Kong” generated a lot of interest (and shares): On Facebook No additional context or comment was included by the original poster; the post was shared t
Truth or Fiction?→ How Homeless People Can Receive Third Stimulus and an ‘EIP’
On March 15 2021, @Hamdia_Ahmed tweeted about homeless people not having access to the first or second stimulus payments — adding that anyone who is experiencing homelessness could receive the third stimulus with something called an “EIP r
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Banks Collected More than $30 BILLION in Overdraft Fees in 2020’
On March 11 2021, the Facebook page “Memes to Radicalize Your Friends” shared an undated screenshot of a tweet by @katmauvearts, which contained the claim that banks collected had collected a total of $30 billion in overdraft fees from Amer