European fact-checkers are trying to thread the needle between debunking falsehoods about the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and explaining why several European countries have paused its distribution. Most say they’re putting a greater emphasis on expl
Poynter→ Do masks really work? Here are PolitiFact’s answers for mask skeptics.
A year into the pandemic, masks have become part of daily life. Want to use a face covering to broadcast your patriotism? Online stores sell masks with U.S. flags. Wondering how to pair your mask with your outfit? Magazines show how celebrities do just
Hoax-Slayer→ ‘Final Notice Suspension Pending’ SMS Spam
The spam messages included here - along with many others of a similar ilk - are currently being distributed via SMS. The post ‘Final Notice Suspension Pending’ SMS Spam appeared first on Hoax-Slayer.
Hoax-Slayer→ 1954 Home Computer Hoax
The caption accompanying this long circulated image claims that it depicts how scientists in 1954 imagined a home computer might look like in 2004. The post 1954 Home Computer Hoax appeared first on Hoax-Slayer.
AFP Fact Check→ Old video recirculates online in misleading posts about Philippine economy during Covid-19 pandemic
Multiple Facebook, Twitter and TikTok posts have shared a video in March 2021, claiming it shows the World Bank has praised the Philippine government for the country’s “strong” economic performance despite the Covid-19 pandemic. The claim is misl
AFP Fact Check→ This clip of Indian politician’s campaign speech in 2019 has been deceptively edited
A video of Badruddin Ajmal, a prominent Muslim politican in India, has been shared in multiple Facebook posts alongside a claim that the footage shows Ajmal promising to turn the state of Asam into an Islamic state if his coalition is voted into power.
Washington Post→ House Republicans’ claim about ‘known or suspected terrorists’ at the border
The Trump administration often made false claims about this statistic, but Rep. Kevin McCarthy made a more limited claim.
AFP Fact Check→ These photos show an anti-China protest in Vietnam in 2014 and a fire at a Taiwanese factory in 2020
Two photos have been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside claims they show Chinese-owned factories in Myanmar being burned by anti-coup protesters. The claim, however, is false; the first photo shows a factory being set abla
AFP Fact Check→ This image has been doctored to insert a campaign banner for Sara Duterte
An image has been shared in multiple Facebook posts in March 2021 alongside a claim it shows Sara Duterte, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, staging a political campaign in the war-torn Philippine city of Marawi. The claim is false: the image has
AFP Fact Check→ US regulatory document circulates in misleading Facebook posts that undermine the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine
A US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) document detailing the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine has been shared in multiple Australian Facebook posts that sow doubt over the vaccine and note specifically how the FDA states it is an “unapproved vaccin
Snopes→ Look Out, Labs: French Bulldogs Now 2nd Most Popular US Dog
After riding a rocket ship to popularity over the last quarter-century, Frenchies came in second only to Labrador retrievers.
AFP Fact Check→ False claim that Pakistani singer was sentenced to three years in jail for defamation circulates online
Multiple posts on Facebook and Twitter claim that Pakistani singer Meesha Shafi was sentenced to three years in jail for falsely accusing fellow singer Ali Zafar of sexual harassment. The claim is false; a court is yet to pass judgment in an ongoing de
Snopes→ Tiger Woods Returns to Florida to Recover from Car Crash
Tiger Woods is back at home in Florida to resume his recovery from career-threatening leg injuries he suffered when his SUV ran off a road and down a hill in the Los Angeles suburbs last month.
AllSides→ Did Democrats Vote Against Notifying ICE When ‘Illegal Immigrants’ Buy Guns?
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/democrats-illegal-immigrants-guns/ Democrats on the House Judiciary C
Snopes→ 7 Killed in Shootings at 3 Atlanta-Area Massage Parlors
Shootings at three Atlanta-area massage parlors have left seven people dead, many of them Asian women.
Snopes→ Did Democrats Vote Against Notifying ICE When ‘Illegal Immigrants’ Buy Guns?
In early 2021, social media users enthusiastically shared a hyperpartisan meme that vastly oversimplified a series of votes on a 2-year-old gun control bill.
FactCheck.org→ Senator Johnson Distorts Report on Violence in Defense of His Remarks on BLM, Antifa
Sen. Ron Johnson, as he predicted, got himself in trouble for saying he “never felt threatened” by those who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, but he “might have been a little concerned” if they were “tens of thousands of Bl
Snopes→ CBS Says ‘The Talk’ Staying Off Air After Racism Talk
CBS says its daytime show “The Talk” will stay on hiatus for an additional week after a discussion about racism involving co-host Sharon Osbourne went off the rails.
Snopes→ A Dam in Oregon Could Fail in a Large Earthquake
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has determined that a large earthquake — which is expected to occur again in the Pacific Northwest sooner or later — could cause the spillway gates of a dam in Oregon to buckle, resulting “in a potentially catastr
Snopes→ 6 Tips to Help You Detect Fake Science News
If a science article sounds too good to be true or too wacky to be real, or very conveniently supports a contentious cause, then you might want to check its veracity.
Snopes→ Assistant Principal Accused in Homecoming Court Vote Fraud
An assistant principal at an elementary school is accused of accessing the school district's internal system to cast fraudulent votes for her daughter who was elected homecoming queen at her high school.
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
Snopes→ Did Biden Defend China’s Atrocities Against Uyghurs as ‘Cultural Differences’?
A remark made by U.S. President Joe Biden during a CNN town hall was taken out of context.
Snopes→ Child Border Crossings Surge As DHS Chief Defends Policies
U.S. authorities encountered nearly double the number of children traveling alone across the Mexican border on one day than on an average day in the previous month, an official said.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: NO Evidence Hank Aaron, Marvelous Marvin Hagler Were Killed By The COVID-19 Vaccine
Were the deaths of baseball great Hank Aaron and famed boxer Marvelous Marvin Hagler caused by the COVID-19 vaccine? No, there's no publicly available evidence that's true: Hagler's wife said the vaccine "for sure" did not cause the death
AFP Fact Check→ Adult trans athlete did not identify as teenager to play basketball
Social media posts claim a photo shows a 50-year-old man who identifies as a teenager and is playing basketball in a female league, as several US states move to restrict transgender participation in women’s sports. This is false; the person in the ph
Snopes→ Are Warning Signs About Parachuting Cows Real?
This is not the sort of cow dropping people are typically worried about.
Snopes→ Did a Crystal Ball Cause a Wisconsin House Fire?
The fire reportedly caused a quarter of a million dollars in damage.
Snopes→ Utah Campaign Against Porn Marches on with Phone Filter Plan
Conservative lawmakers in Utah have fired another salvo in their longtime campaign against online porn with a new requirement that all cellphones and tablets sold in the state automatically block pornography.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Clip From 1993 Speech Does NOT Prove ‘What Biden Really Thinks About Black Americans’ — He Doesn’t Mention Race
Does a video of then-Sen. Joe Biden saying that the upbringing and background of future criminals does not matter show "what Biden really thinks about Black Americans"? No, that's not true: Biden did not mention race when he made a Senate
Poynter→ No, that isn’t Slenderman lurking in Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’
Tales of Slenderman might feel as old as time … but was the creepypasta meme old enough to appear in Disney’s classic “Beauty and the Beast?” We found a video on YouTube that supposedly shows Slenderman lurking in the iconic ballroom
Logically→ Patsy Stevenson staged her arrest at the vigil for Sarah Everard.
There are reports and video footage of violence and arrests at the vigil in South London on March 13.
Snopes→ Did Panda Express Subject Employees to ‘Cult-Like’ Self-Improvement Seminar?
A lawsuit made a number of disturbing claims.
Snopes→ Schools Weigh Whether to Seat Students Closer Together
New evidence that it may be safe for schools to seat students 3 feet apart — half of the previous recommended distance — could offer a way to return more of the nation's children to classrooms with limited space.
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
Snopes→ 10 Things to Know About the Real St. Patrick
Patrick’s own writings and early accounts of the saint’s career reveal many interesting details about the life of this patron saint of Ireland.
Snopes→ Baby Bottle Craze Sweeps Gulf Arab States, Sparks Backlash
Cafes across several Gulf Arab states started selling coffee and other cold drinks in baby bottles.
Snopes→ Did Rachel Maddow Say ‘America Will Thrive Under Socialism’?
A routine review of content labeled satire.
Snopes→ Is Columbia University Planning Graduation Ceremonies Based on Race, Background?
It is common for higher education institutions to organize various events in celebration of the annual milestone.
AFP Fact Check→ Math doesn’t add up in claim every American could get $1 million payment
Social media posts claim the $1.9 trillion pandemic relief act includes enough money to pay every American $1 million, and there would still be funds to spare. This is false; it would cost more than $300 trillion for all of the country’s citizens to