A girls’ high school basketball game in Oklahoma received national scrutiny — but through no fault of the players — in March 2021 after one of the participating coaches posted audio of an announcer smearing his players with a racist s
Publication: viral content
Truth or Fiction?→ On a ‘Scroll That Has 470+ Names of People Killed by MN Police,’ Was Derek Chauvin Involved in Five?
On March 7 2021, a tweet about the upcoming trial of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin over the death of George Floyd appeared and started to quickly spread: The day before Derek Chauvin goes on trial in Minneapolis for the murder of George Fl
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Please DO NOT Offer Yarn, String or Human Hair for Birds to Build Nests!
In March 2021, a Facebook post circulated, warning readers not to leave certain materials for birds to use in their nests: Please DO NOT offer yarn, string or human hair for birds to build nests! Every year we see both young and adult birds… Pos
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Princess Diana Lose Her ‘Royal Protection’?
On March 7 2021, a highly-anticipated interview of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle by Oprah Winfrey aired, and among discourse about that interview was a claim that Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, lost her royal protection — which was in tu
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Witches Stairs’
On March 3 2021, a Facebook user shared a post demonstrating “witches stairs” — purportedly found on occasion in very old New England homes and designed to prevent witches from accessing the next floor: Those are called Witches Stai
Truth or Fiction?→ Did the CDC Issue Zombie Apocalypse Guidelines in 2021 Because of a Nostradamus Prophecy?
On March 3 2021, a number of Fox affiliates shared an article claiming that due to a purported 2021 Nostradamus prophecy, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had created “just in case” guidance for a “zombie apocalypse̶
Truth or Fiction?→ About That ’11-Year-Old Made $1K Selling N-Word Passes to White Friends at School’ Screenshot
In late February 2021, a screenshot of an apparent news article was shared to Facebook to support an assertion that an 11-year-old earned $1,000 by selling “n-word passes” to white classmates: 1k!!!! He had to have sold a few to some teach
Truth or Fiction?→ A 15th Century Machine Invented by Priests to ‘Break Hands and Fingers of Scientists, Artists, Painters, Sculptors Considered Heretic’?
A February 20 2021 Facebook image of a frightening device purportedly showed an elaborate machine “invented in the 15th century by Christian priests to break the hands and fingers of scientists, artists, painters, sculptors considered hereticR
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘The New Soul of Harlem’
The sight of a poster promoting an all-white “new soul of Harlem” shook up some readers February 2021 before a local business reassured them that it was not an authentic case of gentrification gone too far, once again proving that Poe’
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Kenyan Runner Abel Mutai Won a Race Due to Ivan Fernandez’s Sportsmanship’ Viral Post
A January 21 2021 Facebook post about two athletes — Kenyan runner Abel Mutai and Spanish runner Ivan Fernandez — was shared more than 100,000 times in a little over a month: Kenyan runner Abel Mutai was only a few meters from the finish l
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Mayonnaise Takes Crayon Off Walls’ Cleaning Hack
Almost certainly due to the “On This Day” function, a February 2020 Facebook post about using mayo to remove crayon from walls recirculated in February 2021: Alongside an illustrative short video of blue crayon being effortlessly wiped from
Truth or Fiction?→ No, Mr. Potato Head Is Not Gender Neutral Now
On February 25 2021, social media erupted into outrage over a widely-aggregated Associated Press item claiming that the children’s toy previously known as Mr. Potato Head was being changed to be “gender neutral”: Mr. Potato Head is
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘If $15/Hr is Too Much For Minimum Wage Then $85/Hr is Too Much to Pay Our Senators to Literally Do Nothing’ Tweet
A February 23 2021 tweet asserting that “If $15/hr is too much for minimum wage then $85/hr is too much to pay our senators to literally do nothing” immediately spread in viral form, quickly migrating as a screengrab to a popular post on R
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Robinhood Announce it Is ‘Upgrading its Systems’?
On February 24 2021, not long after buyers using financial app Robinhood rattled money pundits everywhere, a tweet appeared to signify that something new was afoot: Tomorrow we’ll be doing an upgrade to our systems. Buying in some stocks might be l
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Alex Jones Loses Thousands to Mistress Amber’
On February 21 2021, a screenshot of a purported news article attributed to “Andrea Tonks” and reporting that disinformation purveyor Alex Jones had lost thousands of dollars to a Communist “findom” (financial dominatrix) appea
Truth or Fiction?→ Peace Sign Origin: Nuclear Disarmament?
A February 21 2021 Facebook post about the purported origins of the “peace sign” or “peace symbol” was popular almost immediately. The post stated that the hand sign was conceived on that date in 1958 by a British graphic desig
Truth or Fiction?→ Peace Sign Origin: Nuclear Disarmament?
A February 21 2021 Facebook post about the purported origins of the “peace sign” or “peace symbol” was popular almost immediately. The post stated that the hand sign was conceived on that date in 1958 by a British graphic desig
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Untethered Astronaut’ Bruce McCandless in the ‘Most Terrifying Space Photograph’
A February 18 2021 Facebook post by AstrophileDaily.com spread virally (and in copies too), purportedly showing astronaut Bruce McCandless II floating “untethered” in space: The Post A frequently repeated and screenshotted caption read:
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Since 1980 California Built 22 Prisons, 1 University’
On February 22 2021, an image was shared to both r/pics and Imgur, which contained the claim that the state of California has built 22 prisons, but only one university, since 1980: A sense of priorities from pics On Reddit, th
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘MLK’s Mother Was Assassinated Too’
In February 2021 — Black History Month in the United States — a history meme circulated on social media platforms containing the assertion that Martin Luther King, Jr.’s mother, like her son, was assassinated: Atop and under a bla
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Actual Advice Being Given to Southerners About How to Drive in the Snow’
As much of the South contended with unusually harsh winter weather, a viral February 2021 tweet claimed that a screenshot showed “actual advice” being given to Southerners for driving in the snow — entailing a complicated visualizati
Truth or Fiction?→ Clay Pot Candle Heaters: Do They Really Work?
As Texans struggled with widespread power outages and harsh winter weather, numerous Facebook posts advised using terracotta or clay pot “space heaters,” which would purportedly enable residents freezing in southern states to heat rooms wi
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘I’ve Never Killed a Man, But I Have Read Some Obituaries with Great Pleasure’ Quote Origin
On February 17 2021, the death of right-wing talk radio presence Rush Limbaugh prompted a number of social media users to post a quote generally attributed to Mark Twain (or American lawyer of note Clarence Darrow), saying “I’ve never ki
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Hollywood Fred Meyer Threw Out All Perishables in Power Outage, Portland Police Blocked People From Accessing the Dumpsters and All the Food Went Bad’
As Americans in several states endured atypically severe winter weather, power outages, and lack of access to necessities, viral tweets claimed that Portland, Oregon law enforcement was guarding dumpsters outside a Hollywood Fred Meyer to prevent anyo
Truth or Fiction?→ Was a Texas Ramada Hotel Charging $999 For Rooms After a Huge Winter Storm?
As residents across Texas fought power blackouts on February 15 2021 following a massive winter storm, a Ramada Hotel in Austin came under criticism online for appearing to respond by price-gouging people seeking shelter with electricity. Reporter Ton
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘My Brain Refuses to Believe There Are 4 People in This Photo’
On February 14 2021, a Facebook user shared the following post (archived), captioned “My brain refuses to believe there are 4 people in this photo”: My brain refuses to believe there are 4 people in this photo Posted by Michael McCluskey
Truth or Fiction?→ Can You Mop Your Floors With Tide Powder?
“Quarancleaning” became a major trend as the COVID-19 pandemic forced people to shelter in (and in many cases, work from) their homes. As stressed-out people traded “hacks” for keeping living spaces clean, mopping with powdered
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘California Inmate Has Now Beaten to Death 2 Child Molesters With a Cane While in Prison, Authorities Say’
In February 2021, a February 1 2020 Facebook post (possibly “revived” by “On This Day” or “Memories”) continued its viral spread. The post consisted of what appeared to be a screenshot of a headline reading “C
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Only in 1989’ Credit Scores Posts
On February 11 2021, a tidbit of information about credit scores being introduced in 1989 spread on at least three places (a tweet, a Reddit post, and a Facebook post), indicating strong interest in the claim. That day, @sleepisocialist tweeted: I&#
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Simone Biles Was Banned from Doing Moves Because They Couldn’t Score Them Fairly,’ and ‘They Were Too Dangerous for Other Gymnasts’
One day after the February 7 2021 Super Bowl LV victory of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Twitter user @yungwonk (Regina Pearson) quote-tweeted another user’s praise of quarterback Tom Brady with additional information: Simone Biles was banned from
Truth or Fiction?→ Does ‘This Little Piggy’ Have a Darker Meaning?
Adults reading social media got a jolt to their understanding of childrens’ stories in February 2021, as speculation emerged around the nursery rhyme, “This Little Piggy.” It didn’t take much. Just one Twitter post saying, R
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘In Finland Speeding Tickets Are Linked to Your Income’
In February 2021, a year-old Facebook post was shared tens of thousands of times, bearing the claim that in Finland, “speeding tickets are calculated based on your income”: The post, which was originally shared by the page “The Fe
Truth or Fiction?→ Gorilla Glue Hair Lawsuit, Explained
On February 8 2020, a social media rumor about a woman (Tessica Brown, or @im_d_ollady) purportedly intending to “sue” Gorilla Glue for damage to her hair began circulating: “Your honor, I’m suing Gorilla Glue for pain & sufferin
Truth or Fiction?→ Does This Photo Show Train Riders Ignoring a Woman Needing a Seat?
A story that first spread online without context in February 2019 did so once again in January 2021 — prompting the same disgusted reaction. The photograph shows an elderly woman holding on to a safety pole inside a metro train in Sydney, Austra
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Fun Fact … If a Fire Starts in the [Yale] Library, All the Oxygen Leaves the Building,’ ‘Killing [People] … to Protect the Rare Books’
On February 7 2021, a Facebook user shared a Twitter screenshot with a “fun fact” about a library at Yale University that involved a mechanism that would “protect the rare books” from the effects of a putative fire, but at the
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Anti-Racist is Code for Anti-White’ Billboards in Harrison, Arkansas
In early February 2021, a purported photograph of two billboards in Harrison, Arkansas circulated on Facebook and Reddit — the first of the two claiming that “anti-racist” is a “code word for anti-white”: Is th
Truth or Fiction?→ AmEx ‘Rose Gold’ Gold Card Has Returned
On February 4 2021, social media rumors began spreading about American Express (AmEx)’s Rose Gold version of its Gold charge card — namely that the long-coveted variant of the Gold Card in Rose Gold had returned: Rose Gold Amex
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘The Crayons DYED Her Hair’
A January 2021 video by the verified Facebook page of Adam Trent (titled “Crayons DYED her hair”) was heavily promoted by Facebook’s algorithm, purportedly demonstrating how to use ordinary crayons and common household items to add
Truth or Fiction?→ What Is a Short Ladder Attack?
During viral interest in the GameStop short squeeze, claims that a “short ladder attack” was driving drops in the price of “meme stocks” like $GME and $AMC became popular on Reddit, Facebook, and Twitter — which in turn
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Please Consider Buying’ Girl Scout Cookies from ‘Troop 6000,’ ‘Entirely Made up of Girls Living in NYC’s Homeless Shelters’
On February 1 2021, a screenshot of a tweet was shared to Imgur which contained the claim that anyone interested in Girl Scout cookies without a scout to buy from could obtain an order from “Troop 6000,” whose scouts live in New York Cit