“Texas just gifted Trump 355,000 acres for deportation camps.”
Full Fact→ No, Pfizer’s CEO did not say his company’s goal was to halve the global population
A video of Albert Bourla speaking has been edited to make it sound as if Pfizer wants to depopulate the world.
Full Fact→ Video of MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow becoming emotional on air unrelated to Elon Musk
A video clip which appears to show the American MSNBC TV host reacting to an item about Elon Musk is actually from 2018 and totally unrelated to the billionaire.
Full Fact→ Citric acid is not hidden in food to ‘poison’ the population
Almost 2,000 people have shared a post suggesting there is a plot to lower the “population’s vitality” by hiding citric acid “poison” in food.
Health Feedback→ Margarine and plastic are chemically unrelated substances, contrary to persistent online claim
REVIEW In November 2024, the claim “margarine is one molecule away from plastic” circulated on Facebook and Instagram. platforms, sometimes boosted by otherwise credible media. The gist of the claim is that margarine is essentially plastic, and
Full Fact→ Keir Starmer did not tell UK citizens to leave the country if they disagreed with Labour
A clip circulating online is from a 2023 speech, and Sir Keir Starmer’s comments were directed at Labour party members unhappy following changes made to tackle antisemitism within the party.
Full Fact→ List of organisations supposedly leaving X is mostly wrong
All but three of the organisations on the list are active on the platform and have posted within the last week.
Full Fact→ General election petition data doesn’t show it’s been signed with MPs’ names thousands of times
The petition page data actually shows the number of signatories from each MP’s constituency.
Full Fact→ Flash flooding clip in Athens is from September 2024, not ‘yesterday’
A clip showing flood water running down a street has been shared widely on social media with claims it shows scenes from Athens in November.
Full Fact→ Image of Benjamin Netanyahu in hospital is likely AI generated
An image of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fake and was likely created using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Full Fact→ Audio clip of Joe Biden saying he ‘removed Imran Khan from power’ is not real
The clip has been circulating across social media platforms with many people seemingly believing Mr Biden said he removed former Pakistani Prime Minister, Imran Khan, from office.
The Dispatch→ Happy Thanksgiving!
Some good eats, fond memories, and reflections on all The Dispatch crew is thankful for this year.
The Dispatch→ Gratitude
Goldberg gives thanks.
The Dispatch→ Using Section 230 as a Roadmap to Protect Platform Openness
The new Congress can help shape the structure of online ecosystems to better serve consumers.
The Dispatch→ What Voters Really Want Is Competence
Elites exacerbate our divisions while the exhausted majority just wants a functional government.
The Dispatch→ Elon Musk, the EPA, and a Decision Worth Billions
Tesla stands to gain if the federal agency extends California’s electric vehicle rules.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Italian Prime Minister Meloni Did NOT Say Italy Opposes Biden Permitting Ukraine To Use US Weapons To Strike Inside Russia
Did Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni say Italy opposes President Joe Biden's policy change that permits Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied long-range missiles to strike deep into Russia? No, that's not true: There is no publicly available
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar Does NOT Use Apples Coated in ‘Apeel’
Did the recipe for Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar change after the company was purchased by Katy Perry -- and now, in partnership with Bill Gates, is the vinegar brand using "Apeel apples," which contain trans fats? No, that's not true: This r
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Vaccines Do NOT Cause Liver Flukes; Parasites Come From Contaminated Food, Water, Not Vaccination
Do vaccinations cause liver flukes in the human stomach? No, that's not true: Vaccine experts contacted by Lead Stories called the notion "science fiction" and "nonsense." Liver flukes are parasites you can get from eating contaminated fo
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs Did NOT Say They Are Boycotting Pride Nights
Did the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs say they are boycotting Pride Nights? No, that's not true: Neither the Steelers nor the Chiefs have publicly stated they were boycotting Pride Nights. The post saying so did not offer any
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Disney Did NOT Say It Was Adding Kamala Harris To The Hall Of Presidents
Did Disney say it was adding Kamala Harris to its Hall of Presidents? No, that's not true: The story originated from self-described satire and parody website Mouse Trap News, which says on its site, "We write fake stories about Disney Par
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg Has NOT Spent $7.5 Billion To Build Only 8 EV Charging Stations
Has the Department of Transportation under Secretary Pete Buttigieg spent $7.5 billion on only eight EV charging stations? No, that's not true: Much of the money set aside for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program has yet t
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – No, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Tracis Kelce didn’t quit X and call it a ‘toxic waste dump’
Says Travis Kelce quit X and called it a “toxic waste dump.”
The Dispatch→ ‘Emergency’ Room
Major questions about Trump’s tariff threat.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Navy SEAL Team Did NOT ‘Hunt’ MS-13 Members In Los Angeles — Navy Denied
Did a Navy SEAL team based in California start "hunting MS-13 members in the greater Los Angeles area" and have they already "eliminated" 50 members of MS-13? No, that's not true: The U.S. Navy told Lead Stories that there was "no truth"
FactCheck.org→ Trump Won the Popular Vote, Contrary to Claims Online
Este artículo estará disponible en español en El Tiempo Latino. Quick Take President-elect Donald Trump is the first Republican presidential candidate to win the popular vote in 20 years. Social media users have wrongly claimed that Trump los
PolitiFact→ Instagram posts – There's no evidence half of all Ukrainian aid was laundered to fund Democratic political campaigns
"Half of all Ukrainian aid was laundered and sent back to Democrat candidates for re-election."
PolitiFact→ Instagram posts – AOC didn’t say a conservative news outlet asked her to resign because she’s a woman
AOC posted that Trump’s election victory emboldened a conservative news outlet to call for her resignation because she’s a woman.
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – No, Ireland won’t pay you to move to an island; it offers grant money to fix up vacant homes
"Ireland will pay you $90,000 to move to a beautiful island home.”
FactCheck.org→ Viral Claim Falsely Suggests Trump Ended Violence in Gaza
Este artículo estará disponible en español en El Tiempo Latino. Quick Take Attacks by Israeli forces and Hamas continue to kill or displace people in the Gaza Strip. But social media posts misleadingly claim Donald Trump’s victory in th
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – No, Michael Jordan didn’t turn down a $100 million Disney deal because the company is too ‘woke’
“Michael Jordan turns down $100 million Disney deal, declares he won’t work for wokeness.”
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – It's False that these celebrities have moved to other countries after the 2024 election
Celebrities including Bruce Springsteen, Robert De Niro, Robert Downey Jr., John Legend and Tom Hanks have announced they are leaving the U.S. following the 2024 election.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Elon Musk Did NOT Announce ‘Tesla Phone Model Pi’ As Of November 26, 2024
Did Elon Musk announce a Tesla phone model called "Pi" as of November 26, 2024? No, that's not true: There was no such announcement on either the Tesla website or Tesla's official X profile when this fact check was written. The image shar
PolitiFact→ Follow these 4 expert tips for keeping Thanksgiving table politics talk civil and productive
Everyone has that one relative or friend who brings up politics at the holiday table. Keeping discussions civil isn’t easy, but PolitiFact is here with expert tips to help prevent holiday gathering clashes.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Law Banning TikTok in U.S. After January 19, 2025 DOES Have Option For Deadline Extension — Lawsuits Ongoing, New Admin Incoming
Is there no way to avoid that January 19, 2025, is TikTok's last day of operation in the United States, as implied in a "BREAKING" post on Threads? No, that's not true: On the day the post appeared, there was no breaking news about enforc
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – Trump hasn't banned same-sex marriage in US; claim he has is Pants on Fire!
“Donald Trump has officially banned” same-sex marriage “in all 50 states in America.”
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Video Does NOT Show Lady Gaga Describing Trauma At Diddy’s ‘Freak Off’ Party
Does a video show Lady Gaga describing the trauma she experienced at one of Sean "Diddy" Combs' "freak off" parties? No, that's not true: The video clip is from a 2021 interview with Stefani Germanotta, the singer's real name, in a docume
The Dispatch→ Claim About Land for Immigrant Detention Facilities Is Exaggerated
Texas offered the incoming Trump administration about 1,400 acres, not 355,000.
PolitiFact→ Analysis: How PolitiFact fact-checked 2024 election claims on vote counting, mail ballots, machines
PolitiFact examined 60 fact-checked claims that sought to undermine faith in elections. Here’s a look at the top platforms where these claims spread, the biggest amplifiers and the major narratives that emerged from the 2024 election.
The Dispatch→ Is This the End of the Cases Against Trump?
Special counsel Jack Smith files motions to dismiss in the election interference and classified documents cases against the once and future president.