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 (6056) for: viral
FactCheck.org→ Baseless Claim About Barr Visit to Epstein Prison
Quick Take A baseless claim that Attorney General William Barr visited the prison where accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein was being held has been circulating online. But the sole source of that claim — a former mob associate — told us
FactCheck.org→ Bogus Conspiracy Theory Claims Epstein is Alive
Quick Take A Facebook post from a user who appears to subscribe to QAnon conspiracies claims that Jeffrey Epstein is not dead. The theory is based solely on a news photo that shows an unresponsive Epstein being wheeled into a hospital on a gurney. Fu
FactCheck.org→ Unproven Claim of ‘Camera Malfunction’ Before Epstein’s Death
Quick Take Viral posts claim there was a “camera malfunction” at the prison housing accused pedophile Jeffrey Epstein before his death. Officials have not confirmed that. Full Story As federal officials probe the circumstances surroundi
FactCheck.org→ The Response to the Congressional Baseball Shooting
Quick Take A viral Facebook post claims that “not one Democrat called for gun control” after a 2017 shooting involving Republicans in Congress. While demands for legislative action were quieter, there were some. Full Story In the afterm
FactCheck.org→ Photos Don’t Tell the Whole Story on Border Trash
Quick Take Old pictures of trash strewn in the Arizona desert are circulating on Facebook with the suggestion that they were taken recently and that the media failed to cover it. Neither of those things is true. Full Story Photos of trash near Arizon
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Tommy Lee Write a Lengthy Anti-Trump Screed on Twitter?
On August 7 2019, musician Tommy Lee shared a screenshot of a longer post to Twitter, commentary in which he purportedly began “You Trumpsters better pray that liberals never gain control of the WH again”: pic.twitter.com/XLT4DQJo5b &mda
FactCheck.org→ Ivanka Didn’t Wear a Swastika in Colorado
Quick Take A manipulated photo of Ivanka Trump adds a logo that looks like a swastika to her shirt. Full Story Ivanka Trump recently posed for a photo with a Colorado sheriff, and she did not wear a Trump logo that mimics a swastika. The president
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Mitch McConnell Campaign Did NOT Say ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ After Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Blasts Disturbing Groping Pic
Did Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's campaign say "boys will be boys" in its reply to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's criticism of a tweeted photo of teen volunteers groping a life-size cardboard cut-out of her? No, that's not true: "B
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Last Year Guns Killed’ Protest Sign
A November 2018 Facebook post about purported gun deaths “last year” (in this case, 2017) circulated in the aftermath of two back-to-back deadly mass shootings in early August 2019 (post archived here): A sign held up at an unnamed eve
FactCheck.org→ What Republicans Did on Mental Health, Guns
Quick Take A social media post misleadingly claims that Republicans “voted to allow people with pre-existing mental illness to buy firearms.” The measure blocked the Social Security Administration from reporting to the U.S. background chec
Snopes→ Did Authorities Warn Of More Attacks on Target and Walmart Stores in El Paso?
A viral rumor spread in the wake of a deadly mass shooting in Texas in August 2019.
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Police in Texas Attach a ‘Leash’ to a Black Man’s Handcuffs?
On August 5 2019 the Facebook page “Adrienne Bell for Congress” shared the following image without a description, which appeared to show a black man handcuffed and attached to a leash held by a white police officer who was leading him do
Snopes→ Did ICE Check Citizenship Papers After the El Paso Shooting?
A viral hoax claimed immigration authorities were checking citizenship status of El Paso shooting survivors.
Truth or Fiction?→ DJ Cooper ‘Pregnant’?
On August 4 2019, the Facebook page “NBA talk” shared a meme containing the claim that that male basketball player DJ Cooper’s urine test for drugs returned a positive result… but not for drugs: Along with a status update
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Trump’s Team Has NOT Appeared To Delete Tweets Where He Used ‘Invaders’ To Describe Immigrants
Did President Trump's team appear to delete tweets where he used "invaders" to describe immigrants in the wake of the El Paso and Dayton attacks? No, that's not true: Tweets using the words "invaders" and "invasion" remained on the president's
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Sam Hyde Is NOT The Shooter At The El Paso Walmart
Was the shooting in El Paso today perpetrated by someone named "Sam Hyde"? No, that's not true: trolls on Twitter quickly started claiming to have heard via police scanners that he was the shooter but it is an internet tradition in some circle
FactCheck.org→ Sites Spread ‘Satirical’ Story on Pelosi, Impeachment
Quick Take A story claiming that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi offered to “drop impeachment in exchange for full immigrant amnesty” is false. It was created by a publication that calls its work satire. Full Story Half of House Democrats ha
Truth or Fiction?→ Is This ‘a Feminist’ Exposing Herself to Students During a Field Trip?
In late July 2019, the following tweet appeared, claiming that the following image shows a “feminist” exposing herself to children on a school field trip: School kids recently went on a trip to a feminist "art exhibit" and this
Truth or Fiction?→ Is Someone Putting Nair in Hair Conditioner Bottles?
A pair of posts shared to Facebook on July 28 and 29 2019 carried a warning to consumers, claiming that a woman’s hair had “fallen out in clumps” because someone had added Nair (or another cream-based depilatory) to conditioner purch
Snopes→ Did Burger King Customers Tell Manager to ‘Go Back to Your Mexican Country’?
Video of the incident in Central Florida went viral.
Truth or Fiction?→ Is OfficeMax Selling Bullet-Resistant Backpacks?
On July 28 2019, a Facebook user shared a Snapchat image to Facebook (archived here), apparently showing a sale at OfficeMax of bullet-resistant backpacks. Across the image was text reading “SHIT JUST BROKE MY HEART,” and the following co
Lead Stories→ Fake News: 1 Minute Message Is NOT From Congresswoman, Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib
Was a video labeled as a "1 minute message" discussing the "process of making America Muslim" from Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the freshman congresswoman from Michigan? No, that's not true: The clip is from a 19-minute-long speech delivered 30 years a
Truth or Fiction?→ Do Asylum Seekers Get $2,100 Per Month Starting Their First Day in the United States?
On July 16 2019, the following text-based status update (archived here) appeared on Facebook with the uncited claim that asylum seekers admitted to the United States receive a $2,100 monthly payment — whereas by comparison, Americans who had paid i
FactCheck.org→ Cummings Didn’t Have Obama’s Records ‘Sealed’
Quick Take A meme on Facebook falsely claims that Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings “wrote a bill to keep all of Obama’s record sealed.” That distorts bipartisan legislation dealing with the federal records of all presidents that Cumm
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Rep. Jim Jordan Did NOT Say ‘Obama And Biden Were Cowering In Fear On Air Force 1’ After 9/11 Attacks
Did Republican Congressman Jim Jordan say that Barack Obama and Joe Biden "were cowering in fear" while Donald Trump was "on the ground with first responders searching for survivors and pulling people to safety" after the September 11, 2001 te
Truth or Fiction?→ Can Only People Under 40 Hear This Sound?
In July 2019 a number of posts circulated Facebook, all of which linked to video of a 15000 Hz/15 kHz frequency sound that is purportedly only audible to people younger than 40. One iteration (archived here) accrued a large number of shares. Its origi
FactCheck.org→ False Caption on Refugee Picture
Quick Take A photo circulating on social media claims to show “Europeans trying to get to North Africa during World War II,” but it actually shows Albanian refugees arriving in Italy in 1991. Full Story A photo of a boat teeming with refu
FactCheck.org→ Posts Twist Facts on Democrats’ Names
Quick Take Social media posts claim some well-known Democrats are “fraudulent and corrupt” for not using “their real names.” But in some cases, the posts refer to them by an incorrect name, a nickname, a middle name or a maiden
Snopes→ Are Sex Traffickers Leaving Zip Ties on Cars, Mailboxes of Potential Victims?
Viral scarelore posts about sex trafficking are not uncommon these days.
PolitiFact→ Tweets – Here's how the deficit performed under Republican and Democratic presidents, from Reagan to Trump
The Truth-o-Meter says: Mostly True | Here's how the deficit performed under Republican and Democratic presidents, from Reagan to Trump A viral post portrays Democrats, not Republicans, as the party of fiscal responsibility, with numbers about the
FactCheck.org→ Nadler Misrepresents Mueller Testimony
Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler selectively cited former special counsel Robert S. Mueller’s testimony to misleadingly claim that Mueller said he didn’t indict President Donald Trump only because he couldn’t indict a sitting president. Mueller
FactCheck.org→ A Misleading Message on Mueller’s Conclusions
Quick Take A social media image makes the misleading claim that former special counsel Robert S. Mueller “can’t provide evidence that his probe reached a conclusion.” Mueller reached several conclusions, including that Russia interfe
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Mr. Rogers Challenge Pool Segregation with a Black Police Officer in 1969?
Press ahead of the 2019 release of a biopic about Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood star Fred Rogers led to increased interest in his remarkable life. One story this renewed attention unearthed detailed how the children’s show purportedly tack
FactCheck.org→ Phony Claim About Trump’s Ellis Island Award
Quick Take President Donald Trump was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 1986, but it wasn’t given for his “work within the black community,” as a popular meme circulating on social media claims. Full Story A claim circulati
FactCheck.org→ Mueller Testimony Prompts Falsehood About Fox News
Quick Take Fox News is airing the congressional testimony of former special counsel Robert S. Mueller, contrary to social media posts claiming otherwise. Full Story As former special counsel Robert S. Mueller testified before the House Judiciary Co
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
FactCheck.org→ Meme Distorts AOC’s Election Vote Count
Quick Take A misleading meme states that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez received “about 16,000 votes” while running for office in 2018. She won her seat with 110,318 votes in the general election. She received 16,898 votes in the district’
Lead Stories→ Fake News: It Is NOT So Hot in Montgomery County That Corn Is Popping In The Field
Is it so hot in Montgomery County, Maryland that corn is popping on the stalk in the fields? No, that's not true: a joke tweet from a local fire department was copied by Fox 5 DC and went viral but it was not real. The claim went viral via a t
Lead Stories→ Fake News: There Is NO Penis Implant That Will Alert Your Cell Phone When Your Man Is Cheating
Is there some kind of "penis implant" from Apple or Microsoft that will alert your cellphone when you partner is cheating on you? No, that's not true: the story was put out by a well known fake news site in 2016 but it keeps going viral period