Quick Take A headline circulating on partisan websites distorts former President Barack Obama’s tweet advocating stricter gun laws in the wake of the most recent mass shootings. Full Story Former President Barack Obama posted a statement on Twi
Search Results (472) for: bans
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s Mixed Record on Gun Control
When asked what he was going to do about the “gun problem,” President Donald Trump responded that “we have done much more than most administrations.” Trump has taken some action to strengthen federal gun control, but his administration
FactCheck.org→ Politics of Gun Violence
In the aftermath of two deadly mass shootings in Texas and Ohio, U.S. political leaders made a series of statements on gun violence that were unsubstantiated, lacked context or were seemingly contradictory. Here we look at some of those statements and
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Muslamian Council Named ICE Did NOT Say ‘If Pork Isn’t Banned, We’ll Have To Leave America’
Did an organization named "Islamia Coexistence Embassy" (ICE) claim they would leave America if pork wasn't banned? No, that's not true. The story was published by a liberal satire website that tries to fool Trump supporters and Republicans in
FactCheck.org→ When Are Heartbeats Audible During Pregnancy?
Q: When is the human heart fully developed, and when are heartbeats audible during pregnancy? A: A developing heart has all of its primary structures after about nine weeks of pregnancy. Some forms of ultrasound can detect cardiac activity in an embryo
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?→ 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?→ Did the Supreme Court Rule 5-4 Against Swearing in on the Qur’an?
On June 11 2019, a Facebook user shared the following text-based status update (archived here), claiming the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 against the use of the Qur’an for swearing oaths: Right off the bat, the format of the post was a scourge to fa
Lead Stories→ Fake News: NO Complete Ban On Using The Word ‘Pork’ To Avoid Offending Muslims
Did the Oxford University Press issue a complete ban on using the word "pork" (or other pig related terms) to avoid offending Muslims? No, that's not true: a memo reminding authors of children's books to be culturally sensitive when writing fo
FactCheck.org→ Obama Misrepresents U.S. Gun Laws
In remarks at a technology conference in Brazil, former President Barack Obama misrepresented U.S. gun laws, claiming that “anybody can buy any weapon … without much, if any, regulation,” including “machine guns.” Machine
Truth or Fiction?→ Is North Carolina Changing Rape Laws So Victims Cannot ‘Withdraw Consent’?
Amid a rash of near-total abortion bans in various American states in May 2019, a screenshot of two tweets regarding sexual consent laws in North Carolina caused further confusion on social media. As of May 22 2019, one of the two tweets was deleted,
Truth or Fiction?→ Are New Abortion Laws in Alabama and Ohio Defined as ‘Forced Pregnancy’ under UN Genocide Conventions?
On May 17 2019, a Facebook user shared one of several social media claims that controversial new near-total abortion bans in Alabama, Ohio, and Georgia constituted “forced pregnancy” under United Nations (UN) regulations governing the defi
Truth or Fiction?→ Could Alabama Women Be Jailed for 99 Years Under a New Abortion Law?
On May 14 2019, the state of Alabama’s legislature passed an extremely restrictive law banning nearly all abortions, and social media posts suggested women faced 99 years in prison for obtaining an abortion under its provisions. The claim appear
Snopes→ Alyssa Milano Calls for Sex Strike, Ignites Social Media
The actress ignited social media with a tweet calling for women to join her in a sex strike to protest strict abortion bans passed by Republican-controlled legislatures.
Truth or Fiction?→ Are Venezuelans Being ‘Shot in the Streets’ After a 2012 Gun Ban?
An April 30 2019 text-based Facebook post (archived here) claiming that 2012 gun control legislation in Venezuela prompted political unrest was shared over 100,000 times in a few days: The status update, which came in text form without news links o
Truth or Fiction?→ Are Venezuelans Being ‘Shot in the Streets’ After a 2012 Gun Ban?
An April 30 2019 text-based Facebook post (archived here) claiming that 2012 gun control legislation in Venezuela prompted political unrest was shared over 100,000 times in a few days: The status update, which came in text form without news links o
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Ripon College Did NOT Ban 9/11 Never Forget Poster Calling It Culturally Insensitive
Did Ripon College in Wisconsin ban a 9/11 "Never Forget" poster, caalling it culturally insensitive? No, that's not true: There was debate on the campus when a conservative student group placed the posters on campus and some administrators ask
FactCheck.org→ Viral Claim Blurs Marijuana, Gun Policies
Quick Take Social posts wrongly claim that states legalizing marijuana also have “legislated” that those who use the drug cannot have guns. Actually, a long-standing federal law prohibits marijuana users from possessing or purchasing firear
FactCheck.org→ A Phantom Ocasio-Cortez Quote on Gun Ownership
Quick Take There is no evidence that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said “owning guns is not a right,” contrary to what a viral meme claims. Full Story Since joining Congress in January, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has used her position
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Putin Did NOT Ban Microsoft Products From Russia
Did Russian President Vladimir Putin ban all Microsoft products from Russia? No, that's not true: a 2016 article was reposted to Facebook by website that has a reputation for making up unsubstantiated claims in its headlines that are not backe
FactCheck.org→ Anti-Muslim Myth Gets A New Twist
Quick Take Congress didn’t “quietly” repeal a law barring Muslims from serving in public office, as social media posts allege. No such law existed in the first place. Full Story Popular posts on Facebook put a new twist on the long-
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Alabama Declare Fetuses Are People?
On January 22 2019, New York State’s Reproductive Health Act was signed into law, inflaming people across the United States. Arguments raged on social networks, largely due to misinterpretations of the law and a mistaken belief that it enabled el
Truth or Fiction?→ Can You Now Be Fined $999 for Holding a Phone in Your Car?
On January 7 2019, the following status update appeared on social media and quickly went viral: Caught using cell phone, or holding it while driving- $999 fine and 3 yr suspended license as of Jan.2019! Ouch…be aware folks!! No specific jurisdi
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Democrats Did NOT Cave, Did NOT Authorize Full Funding Of Wall To Avoid Shutdown
Did the Democrats cave and authorize full funding of president Donald Trump's border wall project? No, that's not true, the political struggle over the budget is still going on. The story was published by a liberal satire website that tries to
FactCheck.org→ False Claim Targets Muslim Congresswomen-Elect
Quick Take Facebook posts shared by thousands of people make the unsupported assertion that “3 Muslim congress women” are refusing to uphold the Constitution. Full Story The 116th Congress, which will convene next month, will include a rec
Lead Stories→ Fake News: BBC Did NOT Ban Racist Song White Christmas
Did the BBC ban the song "White Christmas" because it is racist? No, that's not true: the story came from a satire website and was mocking recent incidents where the song "Baby It's Cold Outside" was banned by several radio stations. The story
FactCheck.org→ Viral Posts Misinform on McCarran-Walter Act
Quick Take The 1952 McCarran-Walter Act codified immigration policies. It doesn’t bar “Muslims from holding public office,” as social media posts erroneously claim. Full Story When the Trump administration announced its controversi
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Leeds Trinity University Ban Capital Letters to Avoid Frightening Students?
In November 2018, an odd little article about a leaked internal memo at Leeds Trinity University appeared in the British tabloid the Express. According to the story, the university told professors not to use all capital letters in order to avoid R
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Northern Ireland NOT to Be Renamed ‘West Belgium’ in Brexit Deal
Will Northern Ireland be renamed "West Belgium" according to the latest proposed Brexit deal? No, that's not true: the story was made up by a satirical website but several people were sharing it online without that context. The whole thing i
FactCheck.org→ Trump Stump Speeches: Health Care
Editor’s Note: For weeks, President Donald Trump has been campaigning in states that are key to the Republican Party’s chances of maintaining control of the House and Senate. We have reviewed seven speeches he gave from Oct. 10 to Oct. 22. This is
Makeshift Bombs Sent to Subjects of Major Conspiracy Theories
In the final weeks of October 2018, following months of increasingly shrill, increasingly baroque conspiracy theories pushed by official after elected official, someone began sending mail bombs out to their favorite subjects. The first person to receive a mail bomb was philanthropist billionaire George Soros, who has been the American far right’s favorite bugbear at least […]
The post Makeshift Bombs Sent to Subjects of Major Conspiracy Theories appeared first on What’s True?.
Truth or Fiction?→ Makeshift Bombs Sent to Subjects of Major Conspiracy Theories
In the final weeks of October 2018, following months of increasingly shrill, increasingly baroque conspiracy theories pushed by official after elected official, someone began sending mail bombs out to their favorite subjects. The first person to recei
Rumors About Caravan of Asylum-Seekers Reach New Heights
As a caravan consisting of thousands of asylum-seekers from Central America drew ever closer to Mexico’s border with the United States to prepare to turn themselves in to border authorities en masse and request asylum, the usual fearmongering suspects did what they do best: whipping up racial hatred with disinformation and propaganda. “Democrat approved migrant […]
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