On March 1 2020, a Facebook user shared a Twitter screenshot about Pablo Picasso having died in 1973, which appeared somewhat in the style of “I was today years old when I learned” memes. On Facebook, the post racked up 40,000 shares and
Search Results (6065) for: viral
FactCheck.org→ Cattle Vaccine Not Related to 2019 Novel Coronavirus
Quick Take Viral Facebook posts use a photo of a vaccine for cows to falsely suggest that the novel coronavirus isn’t actually new, alleging it is proof of “how much the media controls people.” The cattle vaccine has nothing to do wit
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Tax Brackets Explained’ Imgur Post
In late February 2020, an Imgur user shared a popular post on a popular topic (“tax brackets explained”), urging others to “help educate others” on how taxation supposedly works: Tax brackets explained. Help educate others! A
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Cops Did NOT Threaten A West Hollywood Homeowner With Jail If He Removed A Tent Erected In His Yard By Homeless Men
Did police threaten a West Hollywood, California, homeowner with jail if he removed a tent erected in his yard by a homeless person? No, that's not true: West Hollywood laws allow for the removal of trespassers from private property, including
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: BBC News Did NOT Report Bullied Quaden Bayles Died By Suicide
Did Quaden Bayles die of suicide, and did the BBC report on this? Also, did he record his own suicide? No, none of this is true: a gang of hoaxers (likely from the Philippines) has created a string of fake news websites that trick people into
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: CDC Did NOT Recommend Men Shave Their Beards To Protect Against Coronavirus
Did the CDC recommend men shave their beards to protect against coronavirus? No, that's not true: The claim is based on a Centers for Disease Control chart created in 2017 to advise medical workers on the best practices for wearing "filtering
FactCheck.org→ Anti-Sanders Ad Misleads on ‘Toxic Waste’ Site
Quick Take An ad misleads when it claims that Sen. Bernie Sanders “helped turn neighborhoods like ours into a toxic waste dumping ground.” Sanders did support a bill that could have resulted in nuclear waste being placed near a poor, minority town
Truth or Fiction?→ Would 38 Percent of Americans Not Buy Corona Beer over Coronavirus Fears?
On February 28 2020, CNN published a tweet reporting that a full 38 percent of Americans — more than a third — refused to drink Corona beer under any circumstances, due to fears of coronavirus: 38% of Americans wouldn't buy Corona be
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Eight Largest Dow Jones Drops In Absolute Numbers Did Happen Under Trump; But They Were NOT Largest By Percentage
Did the eight largest Dow Industrial Average drops all occur under President Trump's watch, with the historic slides happening since early 2018? No, that is a misleading claim that doesn't take into account that financial markets movements are
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Despite Sign, NASA Says VP Pence Did NOT Defy Agency By Touching Piece Of Orion Spacecraft
Did Vice President Mike Pence defy a sign at NASA warning people not to touch a piece of "Critical Space Flight Hardware?" No, that's not true: NASA says Pence had permission to touch the equipment despite the sign, as suggested by a popular m
FactCheck.org→ FactChecking Trump’s Coronavirus Press Conference
Facing a declining stock market and criticism from Democrats, President Donald Trump and other officials have minimized the risks of the coronavirus to the U.S. and given inaccurate and misleading information about the new virus. Trump said the curren
Truth or Fiction?→ If Your Child is an Authorized User on Your Credit Card, Do They Automatically Start Out with an 800 Credit Score?
On February 18 2020, the Facebook page “Real Badass Moms” shared a screenshot of the following tweet, which advised people “with a credit card and a kid” to add their child as an authorized user on that card — an act that
FactCheck.org→ Meme Miscounts Sanders’ Nevada Caucuses Win
Quick Take A viral meme falsely claims that Sen. Bernie Sanders received only 3,444 votes in the Nevada caucuses. He actually won 41,075 votes — more than twice as many as any other Democratic candidate. Full Story A social media meme falsely st
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Lysol Products Can Kill Older Strains Of Coronavirus, But Tests Have NOT Scientifically Proven They Kill Novel Coronavirus
Do Lysol sprays and wipes kill the novel coronavirus - and, if there is no cure, why do the products' labels tout that they can kill the coronavirus? The claim is partly false: While Lysol products are advertised to kill 99.9% of bacteria and
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: A Montana Man Did NOT Sell Jerky Made Of Human Meat
Did a Montana man get arrested after his best-selling jerky was found to be made of human meat? No, that's not true: This story was published on a satirical site called Ringssss, which includes this tagline, "Probably the best satire site ever
FactCheck.org→ Accounting for Net Worth of Trump, Clintons and Obamas
Quick Take A meme circulating on Facebook claims without evidence that Hillary Clinton has made $95.5 million since she ran for president in 2016, and falsely implies that she and former President Barack Obama enriched themselves by “steal[ing] your
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Scientists Did NOT Discover That Cocaine Kills Coronavirus
Did scientists figure out that cocaine kills coronavirus, thereby disovering an unexpected cure to the latest viral outbreak? No, that's not true: This fake story was generated on Break Your Own News, a website that allows people to quickly cr
Snopes→ Was Bernie Sanders Tricked into Posing with Trump Supporters?
A genuine photograph of the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate acquired a less-than-genuine backstory as it went viral on social media.
Truth or Fiction?→ Were #DemDebate Tickets Sold for $1,750 to $3,200?
On the night of the February 25 2020 Democratic debate, Twitter rumors appeared containing claims that tickets to the event in South Carolina were sold for amounts ranging between $1,750 and $3,200: JFC these debate tickets started at $1750. That
Truth or Fiction?→ Rush Limbaugh Claims Coronavirus is No More Dangerous than the Common Cold. Is it?
In a transcript dated February 24 2020, radio personality Rush Limbaugh claimed that novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is no more dangerous than “the common cold,” adding that he believed that concern over the new strain of disease was simply p
FactCheck.org→ Weinstein Wasn’t a Medal of Freedom Recipient
Quick Take A doctored image spread on Facebook erroneously shows former President Barack Obama giving Harvey Weinstein the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The actual photo showed Obama bestowing the honor upon former Vice President Joe Biden. Full Sto
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Wrapping Eggs In Aluminum Foil And Microwaving For Two Minutes Does NOT Result In Perfect Boiled Eggs
Does wrapping eggs in aluminum foil and microwaving them for two minutes result in perfect boiled eggs? No, that's not true: The post is a hoax. Microwaving aluminum foil can cause sparks and even a fire, so this "egg recipe" is one to avoid.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Fish Antibiotics Are NOT A Safe Substitute For Human Antibiotics
Are fish antibiotics the same as human antibiotics and, therefore, perfectly safe for human consumption? No, that's not true: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns that drugs shouldn't be shared "between species" because, among other rea
Snopes→ Dow Drops over 1,000 as Outbreak Threatens Global Economy
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slumped more than 1,000 points in the worst day for the stock market in two years as investors worry that the spread of a viral outbreak that began in China will weaken global economic growth.
Truth or Fiction?→ Sophie Scholl’s Last Words
In February 2020, a two-year-old Facebook post about Sophie Scholl circulated to mark the purported anniversary of her death with her last words before her execution by Nazis: On February 21 2018, user Warren Lynn shared the screenshot above, writi
Snopes→ ‘Leaning Tower of Dallas’ Endures Blows from Wrecking Ball
The failed demolition turned viral sensation survived yet another attempt to bring it down.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Vitamin D Is NOT Better Than Any Vaccine Against H4N1 (Bird Flu) Virus
Is Vitamin D better than any vaccine at warding off the bird flu virus, or does it make the immune system three to five times stronger? No, that's not true: research and experts agree that vitamin D is not the cure-all for preventing various t
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Priest Did Give Congregation Rat Poison To Prove They’re Above Death; Fortunately Nobody Died
Did a priest in South Africa kill members of his congregation when he fed them rat poison? No, that's not true: A man known as Prophet (not Priest) Light Monyeki of Grace Living Hope Ministries insists that, yes, in 2017 he mixed rat poison wi
FactCheck.org→ Sanders Didn’t Call for 52% Tax on $29,000 Incomes
Quick Take A viral post claims, falsely, that Sen. Bernie Sanders at a recent debate called for a tax rate of 52% on incomes of $29,000 or more to pay for his Medicare for All plan. He didn’t. That figure was floated as a potential marginal tax r
FactCheck.org→ Misinformation Outlasts Virginia Gun Bill
Quick Take A Virginia bill that would have banned the sale of “assault firearms” has been tabled for a year, but misinformation about it continues to circulate online — including a false claim that the state will confiscate guns. Ful
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘He’s 18’: Twitter Trending Topics Amplifies Quaden Bayles Conspiracy Theory
Not long after Quaden Bayles became the virally popular star of an anti-bullying campaign, Twitter’s trending topics boosted a conspiracy theory under “He’s 18,” linked to tweets alleging the nine-year-old boy was a much olde
FactCheck.org→ Story Misrepresents Abrams’ Remarks on Electoral College
Quick Take A story circulating online misleadingly claims Stacey Abrams “boasted that Democrats can ‘jerry-rig the system and go around the Constitution’ to win the 2020 election.” Her comments about moving to a national popular
Truth or Fiction?→ Does Bernie Sanders’ Plan Tax People Making $29,000 at 52 Percent?
A fast-spreading Twitter meme shared by James Woods took aim at a purported statement by Bernie Sanders at the February 19 2020 debate, during which Sanders purportedly claimed that he planned to raise taxes so that people earning $29,000 a year would
Washington Post→ How misinformation on WhatsApp led to a mob killing in India
The second episode of our miniseries “Fakeout” takes us to India, where viral rumors spread on WhatsApp led to death.
Lead Stories→ Fake News: NO Evidence To Support Claim From Bioweapons Expert Who Says Coronavirus Is Biological Warfare Weapon
Did a bioweapons expert say that coronavirus is a biological warfare weapon? Yes, he did, but here is some context: The video making the rounds featuring Dr. Francis Boyle, who drafted the legislation for the Biological Weapons Convention, off
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Member of "USA Parliament" NOT Matching The Holy Quran
Did a member of the U.S. government burn the Quran? No, that's not true: a viral image on Instagram by @thekenyans claims a member of "USA parliament" desecrated the Islamic holy book, but there are several dubious claims - one being that U.S.
Truth or Fiction?→ Bloomberg on ‘Some Guy in a Dress’ and ‘He, She, or It’ in 2019
In February 2020, “newly resurfaced” video of Mike Bloomberg purportedly showing the former New York City mayor describing transgender women as “some guy in a dress” and using “it” in lieu of a pronoun appeared ju
FactCheck.org→ Bloomberg’s 2016 Remarks on Farmers, in Context
The supporters of President Donald Trump and Sen. Bernie Sanders claim Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg insulted farmers in a 2016 video. The Bloomberg campaign says the video has been “taken completely out of context.” Ther
FactCheck.org→ Posts Misidentify Site of Used Needle Pile in Homeless Camp
Quick Take Posts circulating on social media show a pile of hypodermic needles and falsely identify the site as a homeless encampment in Nancy Pelosi’s district in San Francisco. The photo was actually taken at a homeless camp cleanup in Washingt
FactCheck.org→ Fictitious Story on Malia Obama’s White House ‘Trinkets’
Quick Take A story shared on social media falsely claims that Malia Obama was “busted” for selling “trinkets” she stole from the White House. That story originated on a self-described satirical website. Full Story Social med