On July 20 2019, a Facebook user shared a photograph of what appears to be a block of text from an unnamed newspaper or a magazine, containing the claim that “meat substitutes” Beyond Meat and the Impossible Burger had the same ingredient
Publication: viral content
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Mr. Rogers Challenge Pool Segregation with a Black Police Officer in 1969?
Press ahead of the 2019 release of a biopic about Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood star Fred Rogers led to increased interest in his remarkable life. One story this renewed attention unearthed detailed how the children’s show purportedly tack
Truth or Fiction?→ Is a Once-Segregated Library Now Named After Black Astronaut Ronald McNair?
On July 20 2019, the Facebook page “Being Liberal” shared a screenshot of a tweet published two days earlier by @IFLScience concerning segregation and Challenger astronaut Ronald McNair: In 1959 a librarian called the police on 9-r-old Ro
Truth or Fiction?→ Is the Straw Ban Misguided Because Half the Ocean’s Plastic Is From Fishing?
In July 2019 a Facebook user shared the following comic about plastic nets and ocean pollution: In four panels depicting a person with a plastic straw and a seal trapped in a plastic net, it read: Person: I NEED TO SAVE THE OCEAN FROM ALL THE PLASTIC
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘That’s One Way to Escape the Police’ Ferrari Video
On July 19, the Facebook page “LADbible” shared video of a risky driving maneuver by a Ferrari, displaying the label “That’s one way to escape the police… 😱🚨”: The smooth and highly realistic footage seemed
Truth or Fiction?→ Does ‘a Pair’ of DD Breasts Weigh Between 15 and 23 Pounds?
In June 2019 the Facebook page “Weird Facts“shared the following meme, claiming DD-cup breasts weigh between 15 and 23 pounds (6.8 to 10.4 kilograms): Under a photograph of a woman’s breasts in a bra, text read: A pair of D-cup br
Truth or Fiction?→ Can Grill Brushes Cause You to Ingest Metal and Become Ill?
On July 14 2019, a Facebook user shared a photograph purportedly illustrating the risks posed by grill brushes and the metal they can leave behind attaching to food that is consumed. In an attached status update, the poster warned: I would suggest to
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Addiction’ Sculpture in Amsterdam
In June 2019, the Facebook page “Archeology & Civilizations” shared the following image, purportedly of a sculpture in Amsterdam called “Addiction.” That post wasn’t the only time the same piece title and description
Truth or Fiction?→ Was an Iowa Official Fired for His Love of Tupac Shakur?
In mid-July 2019, claims appeared that 66-year-old Iowa official Jerry Foxhoven was fired from his job because of his strong affection for legendary hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur: In the linked July 18 2019 article, UNILAD reported: A 66-year-old wh
Truth or Fiction?→ Do Federal Guidelines List ‘Go Back Where You Came From’ as an Example of Harassment?
On July 16 2019, producer Nick Ramsey sent a tweet referencing a controversy involving U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that people unhappy with the United States should “go back to where they came from”: … from the @u
Truth or Fiction?→ Is Menthol Shaving Cream (or Foam) a Remedy for Sunburned Skin?
A June 2018 Facebook post recommending menthol shaving cream (or shaving foam, as it is called in the UK) to alleviate the pain of sunburns has accrued more than 230,000 shares. A repost by another person with the same photographs was also shared tho
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Riots and War End Japanese Internment, Slavery, and World War II?
On July 16 2019, the Facebook page “Close the Camps” shared the following screenshot (archived here) of a Facebook post asserting that riots, rebellion, and war were necessary to put a stop to concentration camps, World War II, and slaver
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘YesJuliet’ Instagram Murder Rumors
On July 14 2019, rumors began spreading on Instagram, Reddit, Discord, 4Chan, Twitter, and other social media sites about purported disturbing posts shared by Instagram user @YesJuliet about an alleged murder of a 17-year-old girl named Bianca Devins
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Water Intoxication in Dogs’ Warning
A July 2018 Facebook warning about dogs suffering from water intoxication continued circulating in 2019, describing the unexpected death of an otherwise healthy pet: This appeared to be a copy of an individual’s Facebook post to a page with a
Truth or Fiction?→ Were There Drive-Throughs in Ancient Rome?
In July 2019, the Facebook page “Nerds Raging” shared the following Tumblr screenshot, which consists of one purported book passage about drive-through restaurants in ancient Rome and subsequent humorous commentary: Underneath a screens
Truth or Fiction?→ Is a ‘Perfect Road Trip’ of Obscenely-Named Towns Real?
On July 4 2019, the Facebook page “Gringott’s Bank of Enchanted Memes” shared a meme (archived here) illustrating a purported route through the United Kingdom with a number of licentious and salacious location names: From top to b
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Doing it Wrong’ Glade Air Freshener Meme
On June 29 2019, the Facebook page “Be My Guest” shared a meme about the purportedly widespread, incorrect use of Glade brand air fresheners (archived here): Under text reading “I’ve been doing it wrong all my life,” t
Truth or Fiction?→ Disney, Ariel, and the ‘White Mermaids’ Dispute
In early July 2019, Haile Bailey’s casting as main character Ariel in a live-action reboot of Disney’s animated film The Little Mermaid caused controversy on social media, sparking a meme about another person of color having appeared in
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Symbolic Random Chat Room Name Appear After Etika’s Death?
After the death of YouTube gaming streamer Etika was confirmed in late June 2019, his on-and-off girlfriend Alice Pika hosted a memorial livestream on June 26 2019. Not long after, a rumor circulated on Reddit and other sites about what the appearance
Truth or Fiction?→ Sparkler Ash Dog Death Warning
On June 26 2019, a Facebook user posted the following story about the death of their pug Zoe, urging other users to be aware of the purported danger posed by spent firework and sparkler ash: In part of the post, Copp said that Zoe had recently died
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Dwight Eisenhower Say Someday ‘Someone Will Claim It Never Happened’ in 1945?
On June 9 2019, the Facebook page “No To Theocracy” shared the following meme (archived here), featuring a quote in which President Dwight Eisenhower appeared to have predicted Holocaust denial: Above a photograph skeletal human remains
Truth or Fiction?→ Did a Man Get Plastic Surgery and Change His Name to Circumvent a Restraining Order?
A December 2018 article headlined, “Man gets plastic surgery and name change to date his ex-girlfriend after she obtains restraining order” has appeared intermittently on social media after its publication. No obvious date appeared on the
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Socrates Say ‘When Debate is Lost, Slander Becomes the Tool of the Losers’?
On June 26 2019, Eric Trump tweeted a meme attributing a quote about slander to the philosopher Socrates: pic.twitter.com/ojBEcJPGjt — Eric Trump (@EricTrump) June 26, 2019 Against an image of what appeared to be a black and white photograph o
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Socrates Say ‘When Debate is Lost, Slander Becomes the Tool of the Losers’?
On June 26 2019, Eric Trump tweeted a meme attributing a quote about slander to the philosopher Socrates: pic.twitter.com/ojBEcJPGjt — Eric Trump (@EricTrump) June 26, 2019 Against an image of what appeared to be a black and white photograph o
Truth or Fiction?→ Dr. Seuss ‘Foreign Children’ Comic
In June 2019, the following meme featuring a quote by a Fox News personality and a purported comic by Dr. Seuss on “foreign children” circulated on social media: At the top of the meme was a screenshot of Fox News’ Fox & Friends
Truth or Fiction?→ Dr. Seuss ‘Foreign Children’ Comic
In June 2019, the following meme featuring a quote by a Fox News personality and a purported comic by Dr. Seuss on “foreign children” circulated on social media: At the top of the meme was a screenshot of Fox News’ Fox & Friends
Truth or Fiction?→ Does It Cost $750 a Day to House Migrant Children in Camps?
In June 2019, social media posts popped up claiming that that it costs taxpayers $750 (or $775) per child per day to house immigrant children in “tent cities” and other detention facilities. A June 22 2019 post on the Facebook page “
Truth or Fiction?→ Does an Photograph Show Rosaries Confiscated from Border Detainees?
In June 2018, a Facebook user shared a post (archived here) featuring a screenshot of a tweet about rosary beads purportedly confiscated from migrants taken into custody by border agents. That post was shared more than 89,000 times in a year. The twe
Truth or Fiction?→ Was Don Rickles Included in ‘Toy Story 4’ Thanks to Archival Material?
On June 23 2019, the Facebook page “Just Disney” shared a meme which claimed that the late Don Rickles’ Mr. Potato Head character appeared in the feature film Toy Story 4 — despite his death in April 2017: Beneath a sti
Truth or Fiction?→ Have Arrest Warrants Been Issued for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama?
Despite fears of “deepfake” videos and other high-tech ways disinformation could potentially proliferate in the very near future, the stories that still get the most traction are often decidedly low effort. Take, for example, the case of a
Truth or Fiction?→ Did the Cook and Janitor of a Bankrupt Assisted Living Home Stay to Care for Abandoned Residents?
On June 16 2019, the Facebook page “Weird Facts” shared the following meme (archived here), about a cook and a janitor who purportedly refused to abandon the residents of a bankrupted care home: Atop an image of two unidentified men, th
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Malia Obama Cash a $1.2 Million Check?
A headline about former First Daughter Malia Obama (archived here) depositing a suspiciously large check got a lot of traction on social media in June 2019: However, this story is suspect for two reasons. First, it contains little beyond a provocati
Truth or Fiction?→ The Parable of the Stolen Cookies
If you use Facebook, chances are you’ve stumbled upon the videos of Jay Shetty — perhaps the one that is very vaguely titled “Before You Judge Anyone, Watch This,” which is a parable about airport cookie theft: The same story wa
Truth or Fiction?→ Razor Blades on Slides: Urban Legend or Legitimate Risk?
A meme shared by the page “Explore Talent” (archived here) including several images alongside a warning about razor blades purportedly affixed to playground equipment such as slides has been circulating on social media for years: The te
Truth or Fiction?→ Should You Avoid Puffy Bags of Salad or Lettuce in Favor of Flat Ones?
On June 13 2019, the Facebook page “Crafty Morning” shared the following meme (archived here), featuring an image of salad and lettuce in bags at a supermarket along with purported tips for selecting the freshest produce: Above an imag
Truth or Fiction?→ Was the Word ‘Homosexual’ Only Added to Leviticus 18:22 in 1983?
On June 11 2019 Twitter user @n_robe shared the following tweet, claiming that the word “homosexual” was only added to the Bible in 1983 as a pretext for codifying anti-gay sentiments in Christianity: happy pride month everyone. the word
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Gyro Drop’ Ride Video
On June 13 2019, @Complex tweeted the following footage, purportedly showing a ride called “Gyro Drop” and its “swing” feature: WHO WOULD INVENT A RIDE LIKE THIS??? pic.twitter.com/moRN6N4UbV — Complex (@Complex) June 13
Truth or Fiction?→ Can Shaking Your Phone Report Posts and Land Your Friends in Facebook Jail?
In June 2019, a number of Facebook posts popped up warning mobile users of a purported new mobile feature in which shaking a phone with the social media platform’s mobile app open could lead to automatic reporting of posts (and, readers surmised
Truth or Fiction?→ Does an X-Ray Show Hundreds of Undigested Boba Pearls in a Young Chinese Patient?
In June 2019, a number of websites and news outlets reported that a young girl in China was treated for symptoms related to the discovery of “hundreds” of undigested boba pearls in her digestive tract via x-ray. Notably, headlines for the
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Steinway and Sons Airdrop Pianos During World War II?
In June 2019, a Facebook page shared the following image (archived here) and story about Steinway & Sons pianos dropped into areas of combat during World War II: A status update said of the image: During World War II, Steinway & Sons airdro