On November 23 2021, the Facebook page “Gritty 2020” shared an image which purported to contrast the costs of Big Macs in the United States and Denmark with McDonald’s workers’ wages and benefits: In the above meme (“USA
Publication: viral content
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Camomiles and Pansies,’ A Fake Cosmetics Store to Assist Victims of Domestic Violence
On November 20 2021, posts about a fake online store called “Camomiles and Pansies” (for victims of domestic violence to seek help discreetly) were shared to Imgur and Reddit’s r/interestingasfuck: The Imgur iteration appeared to be
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Squirrel Teeth’ Fashion Trend
On November 14 2021, a Facebook user shared images of “squirrel teeth,” a purported “fashion trend” to the Facebook group “بن بريم للطبخ والحلويات وكل مايخص المطبخ والتدابير ال
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Doom Boxes’
A viral November 16 2021 Facebook post from “Our Neurodivergent Life” described a phenomenon called “doom boxes,” a purportedly shared trait among individuals with ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder): Across four s
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘November 2021 Lunar Eclipse, The Longest in 580 Years’
On November 16 2021, the Facebook page “Soul Alchemy” shared a meme about a then-imminent lunar eclipse (“Friday,”) purportedly the longest such event in 580 years: Text on the meme unwittingly set it up for perpetual spread, r
Truth or Fiction?→ Ulmer Nest
On October 23 2021, the Facebook page “Scientific Facts” shared a meme which purportedly describing the “Ulmer Nest” in the German city of Ulm; a Twitter user shared the same meme on November 14 2021: The ulmer nest would be
Truth or Fiction?→ 2021 USPS Veterans Day Acknowledgement
On November 11 2021, social media users shared a purported United States Postal Service (USPS) card, acknowledging their dedication to “pubic service”: This is what Louis DeJoy had distributed to Veterans at the Postal Service today. Seem
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Amazon Customers Blocked From Using Visa Cards’
On November 17 2021, Twitter curated a headline — “Amazon customers blocked from using Visa cards” — to its trending topics and as an “event”; it looked like this: Twitter’s trending topics and “events&
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Searches For How To Send A Resignation Email Rose 3,450% on Google in the Past 3 Months’
In a November 10 2021 tweet, data reporter Rani Molla claimed that Google searches for “how to send a resignation email” had spiked dramatically in the preceding 90 days: Searches for “how to send a resignation email” rose 3,450% on G
Truth or Fiction?→ Sweden Twitter ‘My Best Advice …’ Meme
On November 10 2021, an Imgur user shared a screenshot of a 2014 tweet apparently from Sweden’s @sweden Twitter account — which looked like it was offering up advice on improving one’s fellatio skills: The tweet was prefaced by the n
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘John Tyler, America’s Tenth President, Was Born in 1790. He Has A Living Grandson’
On November 11 2021, Reddit user u/thenewyorkgod shared a screenshot of a tweet claiming that America’s tenth president John Tyler, born in 1790, had a living grandson as of late 2021: This shook me from Damnthatsinteresting
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Can’t Help Myself’ Robot Arm
A November 8 2021 Facebook post about Can’t Help Myself, a robot arm in a purported art installation, was extremely popular on that platform. It read: I don’t think any piece of art has ever emotionally affected me the way this robot arm piece
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Recipes Cannot Be Copyright Protected Unless Accompanied By Substantial Literary Expression’?
On November 7 2021 a Facebook user shared a Tumblr screenshot addressing the case of the recipe anecdote, claiming that food bloggers share so many personal stories to accompany their instructions, because “recipes cannot be copyright protected
Truth or Fiction?→ James Webb Space Telescope, December 18th Facebook Post
On November 2 2021, Facebook user “Burnt Goathead” posted about the James Webb Space Telescope, heralding its purported launch on December 18 2021 and claiming: So, possibly one of the biggest events to happen during our lifetime is about
Truth or Fiction?→ Egg ‘Sink or Float’ Test
A November 3 2021 post (“For testing fresh eggs”) spread virally from the Facebook group “Southern Cooking,” along with a straightforward graphic indicating that safe, fresh eggs sink in water, while “very old” and p
Truth or Fiction?→ MetaCompany ‘Facebook Stole Our Name and Livelihood’ Letter
On November 3 2021, Facebook users Michelle Stella shared a letter attributed to “MetaCompany,” purportedly a small, years-old company flattened by Facebook’s massive corporate power and its army of lawyers. For context, Facebook anno
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Hobby Lobby Took Out a Full Page Ad Today …’
On November 4 2021 Imgur user BStev shared an image of text, asserting that Hobby Lobby “took out a full page ad today,” purportedly proclaiming that “America should only be led by Christians”: Titled “Antisemitic much Ho
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Boss Texts on Your Day Off? Leave Them Unread’ Billboard
On November 3 2021, performance artist and political activist Vermin Supreme shared a photograph of a purported “Leave Them Unread” billboard: ‘Boss Texts on Your Day Off? Leave Them Unread’ Meme Origin Three mobile app icons (
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Wikipedia Has Separate Lists for Vampires and Fictional Vampires’
On November 1 2021,, the Facebook page “I Fancy Fandoms” shared a meme, purportedly showing a screengrab of distinct Wikipedia entries entitled “List of vampires” and “List of fictional vampires”: In what looked to
Truth or Fiction?→ Does the Second Controller Control the Duck in ‘Duck Hunt’?
On November 1 2021, a post claiming the Nintendo NES’s second controller can “control the duck” in Duck Hunt was shared to the Facebook group “I grew up in the 80’s & 90’s”: A user on Reddit’s r/gaming
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Bone Fire Became Bonfire’
In October 2021 a screenshot of an Instagram post circulated on Facebook with the timely claim that “bonfire” was a compound word originating with the phrase “bone fire”: View this post on Instagram
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Man Waves Down Police Officer to Slap Him’
On October 27 2021, the Twitter account @Gritty20202 shared what looked like a screenshot of a headline, “Man waves down officer just to slap him in the face, report says”: Based AF pic.twitter.com/whIIFaE3fU — Gritty is the Way (@G
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘A Statue of Medusa Holding Perseus’ Severed Head Will Be Installed in Manhattan Across from the NY County Criminal Court to Honor #MeToo’
In October 2021, posts about a statue of Medusa holding the severed head of Perseus being installed at a New York criminal court in honor of the #MeToo movement appeared on Facebook and Twitter: Text on the image read: A Statue of Medusa Holding [Pers
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘The Growing Inaccessibility of Science’ Meme
On October 27 2021, an Imgur account shared the following screenshot of a tweet: On Imgur, the post was titled “Gee I wonder why.” Originally, the tweet was published on October 13 2021, and simply captioned “yeah …” The
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘June 1954 – Jack Albertson Lamented the Loss of Blackface and Felt Minority Groups Were Making Life Rough for the Comedian’
On October 23 2021, Twitter user @ClassicShowbiz shared a purported archival clipping, which showed a newspaper excerpt dated 1954 newspaper excerpt quoting “ex-burlesque comic” Jack Albertson on Americans having “lost” their co
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?→ ‘PSA, If You’re Ever Lost While Hiking … Change Your Voicemail’
On October 21 2021, a Facebook post “PSA” circulated virally, advising individuals to change their voicemail message in the event they ever got lost while hiking, or in some other remote setting. One popular version read: If you are ever l
Truth or Fiction?→ Telegraph Money ‘Kyle’ Tweet
An October 21 2021 Twitter screenshot of a purported Telegraph Money (@MoneyTelegraph) profile was virally popular on Twitter, depicting “Kyle, 28” and alluding to his financial proficiency: Never fails pic.twitter.com/TCjuvTYuyT —
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘A List of Failed Amendments’
On October 19 2021, Twitter user @radicalpragmat1 shared a somewhat unnerving list of purported failed proposed amendments to the Constitution, an image which quickly migrated to Imgur and Reddit: Well this is a fascinating list of amendments that we
Truth or Fiction?→ Washington Herald 1918 Coal Question
In October 2021, amid discussions of austerity and compassionate policy, a purported January 31 1918 Washington Herald excerpt showing a subscriber’s question about taking coal under difficult circumstances circulated on social media:
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘It’s Been Illegal for Employers to Forbid Workers From Discussing Their Pay For the Last 86 Years, Since the National Labor Relations Act of 1935’
An October 16 2021, a Facebook post by performance artist and perennial political candidate Vermin Supreme highlighted an October 11 tweet claiming that it became illegal for employers to forbid workers from discussing their pay rate 86 years earlier:
Truth or Fiction?→ JesusWeen
On October 19 2021, the Facebook page “Vagina Devil Magic” shared a screenshot of a headline, “Conservative Christians Want To Replace Halloween With ‘JesusWeen’—And Twitter Can’t Stop Chuckling”: That scre
Truth or Fiction?→ 2021 Nobel Prize in Economics: Minimum Wage and Immigrant Labor
On October 18 2021, a screenshot of a tweet about the 2021 Nobel prize in economics was shared at least twice to Facebook, on the pages Coffee Party USA and Labor 411. The depicted tweet was first published on October 11 2021: The 2021 Nobel Prize in
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Spiked by Injection’ Warnings on Social Media
In October 2021, rumors warning that people — mostly women – were being “spiked by injection” spread virally across social media, with several high-engagement versions on Twitter: you’ve been outsmarted by us, we cover our d
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Rent to Own is For the Financially Illiterate’
On October 13 2021, a Facebook user published the following warning about rent-to-own appliances and large purchases, describing the manner in which such transactions functionally served as a tax on low-income people: STAY AWAY FROM RENT to Own Places
Truth or Fiction?→ Does Putting Fruit in Mason Jars Make It Last Longer?
On October 12 2021, a Facebook account shared a tip which claimed that putting fruit in Mason jars made it last longer: Idk who needs to know this because it took me 25 years and a TikTok to learn but putting your fruit in mason jars rather than the c
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘If the United States Had Managed to Keep Its Covid Death Rate on Par with Canada, the U.S. Would Have About 467,000 Fewer Covid Deaths Today’
On October 14 2021, the following screenshot of a tweet by New York Times correspondent Mike Baker appeared on Imgur, in which he purportedly contrasted the COVID-19 mortality rate in Canada with that of the United States: Primarily, Baker indicated t
Truth or Fiction?→ Tetris and Trauma
On October 11 2021, screenshots of a Twitter thread about the classic video puzzle game Tetris purportedly reducing trauma after distressing events spread all over platforms like Facebook and Imgur: Tetris may help with trauma Originally, Twitter ac
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Robin Test Footage’
On October 12 and 13 2021, a video titled “Robin Test Footage” spread across social media, often described as a scene from an in-the-works biopic: ROBIN Test Footage Scene from videos A top comment thread on the pos
Truth or Fiction?→ Ben Shapiro ‘Wife’s Bedroom’ Columbus Day Tweet
An October 11 2021 tweet featured a purported Twitter screenshot, which was attributed to Ben Shapiro and mentioned his “wife’s bedroom” and “Columbus Day”: pic.twitter.com/YUqBJgI3NB — Michael Kofi A.||♤ (@MikeK