Election-fraud fan fiction spun out of control in 2020.
Snopes→ Does the Vatican Have Darth Vader in Its Nativity Scene?
The 2020 has been wild, but not quite that wild.
FactCheck.org→ Anti-Vaccine Posts Use Deceptively Edited Video Clip
Quick Take Social media pages that share anti-vaccine messages have used a selectively edited news clip that suggests the COVID-19 vaccine is unsafe. The clip shows a nurse fainting after she gets the vaccine, but it doesn’t show her quick recove
Snopes→ Did Congress Expel 14 Members for Supporting Confederacy, Not Acknowledging Lincoln as President?
There is a history of House and Senate members being kicked out, but did the reasons bear any resemblance to political events in 2020?
FactCheck.org→ Q&A on COVID-19 Vaccines
Two COVID-19 vaccines are now authorized in the U.S. and more are likely to follow. In this story, we answer some common questions about the shots. For more information about specific vaccines, we’ve created or will be creating individual pages fo
Snopes→ Wisconsin Dentist Accused of Breaking Teeth in Fraud Scheme
A Wisconsin dentist is accused of damaging his patients' teeth so that he could bill insurance companies for crown procedures.
Snopes→ Motorist Rescued After 10 Hours in Car Buried by Snow Plow
A man who drove off the road in a snowstorm spent 10 hours trapped in his car after a passing plow and rapidly accumulating snow buried it.
Snopes→ Illegal Winery Busted at Alabama Town’s Sewage Plant
Investigators uncovered what’s described as a large illegal winery inside the Rainsville Waste Water Treatment Plant.
Snopes→ Visit by COVID-Infected Official Closes Washington Monument
The Trump administration abruptly closed the Washington Monument over exposure concerns from a visit by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, who tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Dispatch→ Does a Photo Show Nancy Pelosi Ignoring Social Distancing Guidelines?
A caption of a widely shared Facebook post, which shows a maskless Nancy Pelosi in a group of people, reads: “Ladies and Gentlemen here’s your speaker of the house enjoying a party after she tells you you can’t have social gatherings.
AllSides→ New York Times: ‘Caliphate’ podcast didn’t meet standards
https://apnews.com/article/caliphate-podcast-new-york-times-hoax-4b0cd1c9b75673de46e40cad1beb430c The N
Snopes→ Is 6MWE an Anti-Semitic Proud Boys Slogan?
A Proud Boy wearing a shirt with the acronym 6MWE combined with a fascist symbol was seen in D.C. protesting the election of Joe Biden.
AllSides→ New York Times admits ‘Caliphate’ podcast based on botched reporting
https://nypost.com/2020/12/18/ny-times-admits-caliphate-podcast-based-on-botched-reporting/ The New Yor
AllSides→ New York Times Admits Its Caliphate Podcast Fell for ISIS Hoaxer’s Bullshit
https://www.thedailybeast.com/new-york-times-admits-its-caliphate-podcast-fell-for-terrorism-hoaxers-bullshit
Truth or Fiction?→ Biden ‘Stepped Up Basis’ Facebook Post
In December 2020, a number of Facebook users shared a post about U.S. President-Elect Joe Biden and “stepped up basis,” a very vague term with which few users were likely to already be familiar. The same text was circulating as early as O
AFP Fact Check→ Canada ordered hydraulic guillotines to cut paper, not heads
An official Canadian government notice of intent to procure hydraulic guillotines was shared across social media, with some questioning if it would be used for executions. But the guillotines in question are machines used to cut paper, according to the
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Political Ad Showing Senate Candidate Raphael Warnock Saying ‘God Damn America’ Leaves Out Context
Does a political ad showing Georgia Senate candidate Raphael Warnock saying "God damn America" present the video in context? No, it does not: When Rev. Warnock uttered the controversial phrase, he was discussing the use of those words in
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Vaccine Reaction Did NOT Cause Nurse To Faint After COVID-19 Shot – Pain/Stress Triggered Vagal Nerve-Driven Fainting
Did a Tennessee nurse who fainted after getting a COVID-19 vaccination shot do so due to a reaction to contents of the vaccine? No, that's not true. A nurse, who was given the COVID-19 live on television at the hospital where she is emplo
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: The Q-Tip Nasal Swab For COVID-19 ‘Up Someone’s Brain’ Is NOT Equivalent To ‘Drop Of Spit’ From Six Feet Away
Is the Q-tip nasal swab for COVID-19 that is stuck "up someone's brain" equivalent to "a drop of spit" that can infect someone from six feet away? No, that's not true. A single virus can hatch an infection, while a much bigger sample is n
Snopes→ Shutdown Deadline Looms over COVID-19 Relief Talks
Bearing down on a midnight shutdown deadline, congressional negotiators on an almost $1 trillion COVID-19 economic relief package remained committed to sealing an agreement Friday even as hopes for a midday announcement passed.
AFP Fact Check→ Nurse’s collapse does not mean Covid-19 vaccines are unsafe
Social media posts say a nurse collapsed after receiving a Covid-19 vaccine, seeking to raise doubts about its safety. But the nurse has a history of passing out, and a doctor said there is no reason to believe the vaccine itself was responsible.
Health Feedback→ A U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel validated Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine; its authorization for emergency use should ensue
On 17 December 2020, the claim began circulating that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the federal agency responsible for authorizing drugs and vaccines in the U.S., authorized the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the U.S. biotech company Mode
Snopes→ Are Subway and Pizza Hut Closing Down in 2020?
A misleading ad circulated on various websites.
AFP Fact Check→ Social media posts inaccurately compare Covid-19 vaccines to 1950s-era drug
Social media posts warn of rapidly developed pharmaceuticals such as the Covid-19 vaccines by citing thalidomide, a sedative from the 1950s that caused serious birth defects. But the US regulator responsible for approving drugs did not accept thalidomi
The Dispatch→ Did John Roberts Vacation on Jeffrey Epstein’s Island?
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Snopes→ PlayStation and Xbox Announced Refunds for Cyberpunk 2077?
Video game console creators announced refunds for Cyberpunk 2077 following an unprecedented number of customer complaints.
Snopes→ The Origins of Christmas Decorations: Decking the Halls of History
The idea of hanging up decorations in the middle of winter is older than Christmas itself, dating to the Roman feast of Saturnalia.
Snopes→ Damage from Border Wall: Blown-Up Mountains, Toppled Cactus
Work crews ignite dynamite blasts in the remote and rugged southeast corner of Arizona, forever reshaping the landscape.
AllSides→ 8 facts and 4 unknowns about the coronavirus vaccines
https://www.politifact.com/article/2020/dec/17/8-facts-and-4-unknowns-about-coronavirus-vaccines/ The d
Snopes→ The History of Candy Canes and Why They Taste So Cool
Candy canes were once white sticks of sugar. Now candy canes are striped and come in a variety of flavours, including pickle.
Logically→ A nurse in Alabama died approx 8-10 hours after receiving her COVID-19 vaccine.
On Decemver, 16, Alabama's Department of Public Health clarified that no Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine recipients have died.
Snopes→ Is This ‘Pretzel Knot’ Tree Real?
The credit for this "pretzel knot" tree does not go to mother nature.
Snopes→ Did Putin Laugh at Trump and Call Him a ‘Loser’?
Captions can be deceiving.
The Dispatch→ Has the AMA Rescinded Its Guidance Against Prescribing Hydroxychloroquine?
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The Dispatch→ Will the Supreme Court Hear the Texas Case if the State Files It Differently?
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Snopes→ Supreme Court Rules Challenge to Trump Census Plan is Premature
The high court said it was too soon to rule on the legality of Trump's plan because it's not yet clear how many people he would seek to exclude and whether the division of House seats would be affected.
FactCheck.org→ Our Annual Fundraising Appeal
The year 2020 was brutal – and unfair. More than 300,000 Americans died of COVID-19. Millions were diagnosed with the disease — some of those still suffering long-term effects. Tens of millions have lost their jobs, and millions have been pushe
Snopes→ 1 in 5 Prisoners in the US Has Had COVID-19, 1,700 Have Died
At least 275,000 prisoners have been infected, more than 1,700 have died and the spread of the virus behind bars shows no sign of slowing, according to data collected by The Associated Press and The Marshall Project.
Snopes→ Parents Lose Lawsuit over Destruction of Son’s Porn Stash
David Werking's parents said they had a right to act as his landlords.
FactCheck.org→ The Whoppers of 2020
Summary For the sixth year in a row President Donald Trump has proved he is in a class of his own when it comes to political mendacity. His claims again make up the majority of our top 10 list of the most egregious falsehoods. And in 2020, two of Trump