UPDATE Saturday, August 3, 2019: When Lead Stories first published this story on August 1, 2019, our concern was that false reports of a planned violent siege of El Paso could incite a violent reaction. We do not know if the tragic attack at t
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Truth or Fiction?→ Does Video Show Seesaws on Both Sides of the Border Wall?
On July 29 2019, the Facebook page “Jolt Texas” shared a video (archived here), stating that “[artists] installed seesaws at the border wall” so that “kids in the U.S. and Mexico could play together”: The clip r
Snopes→ US to Set Up Plan Allowing Prescription Meds from Canada
The Trump administration said it will set up a system allowing Americans to legally and safely import lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada for the first time, reversing years of opposition from federal health authorities amid a public outcry over
FactCheck.org→ FactChecking the Second Democratic Debate
Summary We flagged false and misleading claims from several candidates: Former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke got it wrong in claiming “no other country comes even close to” the number of gun-violence deaths in the United States. Brazil ha
Climate Feedback→ NBC News story accurately covers research on two millennia of climate history
SCIENTISTS’ FEEDBACK SUMMARY A recent study working with a global database of paleoclimate records found that no previous warm or cool period in the last 2,000 years—including the Roman Warm Period and the Medieval Warm Period (also called t
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
Truth or Fiction?→ Steve Jobs’ Last Words?
On July 30 2019, Facebook user Joseph Rudy Rullo shared what were purportedly Apple pioneer Steve Jobs’ last words (archived here), uttered on his deathbed: The post eventually segued into other musings, but it began with Jobs’ suppose
FactCheck.org→ Pinning Down Prescription Drug Prices
One aim the president and Democratic 2020 challengers share is the desire to bring down the price of prescription drugs. But is that already happening, or are prices still climbing? The two parties disagree, and it depends on how they’re measurin
Snopes→ Jury to Decide Damages Owed by Katy Perry for ‘Dark Horse’
The unanimous verdict by a nine-member federal jury in a Los Angeles courtroom came five years after Marcus Gray and two co-authors first sued in 2014, alleging "Dark Horse" stole from "Joyful Noise," a song Gray released under the stage name Flame.
Snopes→ Coats Out as National Intel Director, Clashed with Trump
Dan Coats, director of national intelligence, will leave his job after a turbulent two years in which he and the president were often at odds over Russian interference in the 2016 election.
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?→ Did U.S. President Donald Trump Say ‘What You’re Seeing’ Is ‘Not What’s Happening’?
In July 2019, the Facebook page “Bristol for Europe” shared side-by-side prints that contrasted a purported quote by United States President Donald Trump with one from English author George Orwell: On the left was a quote attributed t
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?→ ‘Bucket of Heads,’ ‘Cooler’ with ‘Genitalia’ Alleged in Body Parts Broker Raid
In July 2019, a number of macabre stories circulated on social media that were based on recent reports that an Arizona facility that was supposed to be processing bodies donated to science was the subject of a gruesome and macabre raid. In July 2019,
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
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Crayola Does NOT Rename Crayon Color in Honor Of Late Rapper Nipsey Hussle
Did Crayola rename a crayon color in honor of slain rapper Nipsey Hussle? No, that's not true: It is a hoax published by a website known for its questionable reporting. The crayon maker denied it was changing its blue crayon from "Bluetiful" t
Truth or Fiction?→ Was Ivanka Trump Photographed Wearing a Swastika Logo?
On July 23 2019, the Twitter account @ScenarioLENS shared the following image of Ivanka Trump, posing with a law enforcement agent in what looked like a strange, stylized swastika sweater: What the hell is she wearing?! pic.twitter.com/G3IZVFipkn &md
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
Snopes→ Hundreds of Black Deaths in 1919 Are Being Remembered
America in the summer of 1919 ran red with blood from racial violence, and yet today, 100 years later, not many people know it even happened.
Truth or Fiction?→ Does ‘a Pair’ of DD Breasts Weigh Between 15 and 23 Pounds?
In June 2019 the Facebook page “Weird Facts“shared the following meme, claiming DD-cup breasts weigh between 15 and 23 pounds (6.8 to 10.4 kilograms): Under a photograph of a woman’s breasts in a bra, text read: A pair of D-cup br
Truth or Fiction?→ Can Grill Brushes Cause You to Ingest Metal and Become Ill?
On July 14 2019, a Facebook user shared a photograph purportedly illustrating the risks posed by grill brushes and the metal they can leave behind attaching to food that is consumed. In an attached status update, the poster warned: I would suggest to
Truth or Fiction?→ Did George Washington Say Citizens Gain the Right to Unseat the Government if the Government Restricts Guns?
In May 2019, the Facebook page “McGroarty for Freedom” shared the following meme containing a quote attributed to George Washington concerning the rights of citizens to bear arms: Across a black background, white text read: “Wh
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Norfolk Man Story About 9/11, Retired NYFD Father And Pregnant Wife Is NOT Real
Is a story from someone named "Robert Matthews" about the events on September 11, 2001 real? No, that's not true: the fantastic story from a radio listener supposedly from Norfolk, Virginia contains several things that are verifiably untrue. D
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Judge Did NOT Award Sasha and Malia Obama’s Biological Father $14 Million
Did a judge award a man named Samuel Kepelplorp $14 million for being the biological father of the Obama children? No, that's not true. The story was published by a liberal satire website that tries to fool Trump supporters and Republicans int
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Sasha and Malia Obama’s Biological Father NOT Suing Michelle for $40 Million
Is M'nakta N'tadaku Johnson the biological father of the Obama girls and is he suing Michelle for $40 million? No, that's not true: the man doesn't even exist. The story was published by a liberal satire website that tries to fool Trump suppor
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Nancy Pelosi’s Church Did NOT Ask Her To Leave Until She ‘Finds God and Gets Help’
Did Nancy Pelosi's church ask her to leave until she finds god and gets help? No, that's not true. The story was published by a liberal satire website that tries to fool Trump supporters and Republicans into sharing made up stories that are cl
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Rashida Tlaib NOT Under Investigation For Election Fraud For Making Sure Her Name Was A Voting Option
Is Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib under investigation for election fraud because she made sure her name would appear as a voting option? No, that's not true. The story was published by a liberal satire website that tries to fool Trump supporters
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Donald Trump Did NOT Call Republicans ‘Dumbest Group Of Voters’ In 1998
Did Donald Trump say in a 1998 interview that if he ran for president it would be as a Republican because they are the "dumbest group of voters in the country"? No, that's not true: It is a made-up quote that has made the rounds of social medi
FactCheck.org→ Comparing Benefits for Refugees and Senior Citizens
Quick Take A popular meme falsely claims that each month refugees in the United States receive over three times more money in “federal assistance” than Social Security beneficiaries. That’s a new version of an old claim we debunked ov
FactCheck.org→ Unpacking Biden’s and Trump’s Big Cancer Promises
On the campaign trail, former Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump have both claimed that a cure to cancer would soon become a reality — if they were elected in 2020. Experts, however, don’t share that degree of optimism. Despi
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Rep. Ilhan Omar Become a Citizen Before Melania Trump?
On July 16 2019, the Facebook page “Yes She Can” shared a meme with claim that Rep. Ilhan Omar had been an American citizen longer than First Lady Melania Trump (née Knauss): Text posted with the meme went as follows: Isn’t it in
PolitiFact→ Did Ilhan Omar marry her brother? Her hometown newspaper investigated and told us what they found
For years, critics of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., have raised questions about her marriages and made the explosive claim that she had married her brother. As Omar has become a frequent target of attacks by President Donald Trump, allies of the pres
Lead Stories→ Fake News: "P.O.P, Hold It Down" Woman Donna Goudeau NOT Murdered In Prison
Was "P.O.P, Hold It Down" woman Donna Goudeau murdered in prison? No, that's not true: that story was put out five years ago by a site that publishes fictional news but it got recycled in 2019 by a relatively new website. The story reappeared
Truth or Fiction?→ Was an Iowa Official Fired for His Love of Tupac Shakur?
In mid-July 2019, claims appeared that 66-year-old Iowa official Jerry Foxhoven was fired from his job because of his strong affection for legendary hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur: In the linked July 18 2019 article, UNILAD reported: A 66-year-old wh
Truth or Fiction?→ Is Menthol Shaving Cream (or Foam) a Remedy for Sunburned Skin?
A June 2018 Facebook post recommending menthol shaving cream (or shaving foam, as it is called in the UK) to alleviate the pain of sunburns has accrued more than 230,000 shares. A repost by another person with the same photographs was also shared tho
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Minnesota Schools Did NOT Make Arabic Classes Mandatory
Did Minnesota schools make Arabic classes mandatory? No, that's not true. The story was published by a liberal satire website that tries to fool Trump supporters and Republicans into sharing made up stories that are clearly marked as satire wh
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Priest Pushed From Stage in Brazil Did NOT Say "Fat Women Don’t Go To Heaven"
Did the priest who got shoved off the stage in Brazil say "las gordas no van al cielo" ("fat women don't go to heaven")? No, that's not true: priest Marcelo Rossi was pushed from the stage on July 15, 2019 in Cachoeira Paulista, São Paulo but
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Pelosi Did NOT Stop Bill to Make English the Official Language of the U.S.
Did Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi stop House Bill BT1138 to make Engish the official language of the U.S.? No, that's not true. The story was published by a liberal satire website that tries to fool Trump supporters and Republicans into sh
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Did NOT Say ‘We Pay Soldiers Too Much’
Did AOC say "We pay soldiers way too much" during a Congress session? No, that's not true. The story was published by a liberal satire website that tries to fool Trump supporters and Republicans into sharing made up stories that are clearly ma
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Did NOT Say ‘We Pay Soldiers Too Much’
Did AOC say "We pay soldiers way too much" during a Congress session? No, that's not true. The story was published by a liberal satire website that tries to fool Trump supporters and Republicans into sharing made up stories that are clearly ma