As criticism spread against United States President Donald Trump’s administration for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March 2020, one graphic disseminated on social media listed his multiple attempts to downplay the disease: In thi
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Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Jim Carrey Did NOT Accuse 200 "Leftist Arsonists" Of Starting Australian Bushfires
Did actor Jim Carrey say that 200 "leftist arsonists" were arrested for starting the Australian bushfires, and that it wasn't due to climate change? No, that's not true: Carrey never made such a statement about the bushfires that ravaged the c
Truth or Fiction?→ Will Americans Go Into a Four-Week Quarantine on April 1 2020?
In mid-March 2020, completely unsubstantiated but frightening rumors began circulating about a four-week-long quarantine blanketing the entire United States, purportedly to begin on April 1 2020. The rumor spread from person to person in individual
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: List Comparing Mortality Rates With COVID-19 Is NOT Accurate
Is a list of virus outbreaks comparing mortality rates for Ebola, H5N1, MERS and SARS with COVID-19 - the novel coronavirus - accurate? No, it's not: The comparison of the outbreaks is extremely misleading as it doesn't take into account the r
Truth or Fiction?→ Does Coronavirus Put Dogs at Risk Because Hand Sanitizer Has the Same Ingredients as Antifreeze?
On March 14 2020, a Facebook status update (archived here) claiming that pet owners should be aware that hand sanitizer “has the same ingredients as antifreeze” went viral after an uptick in hand sanitizer use due to an ongoing COVID-19 o
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Italy Has NOT Mandated No Treatment Of All Elderly With Coronavirus
Did Italy decide not to treat its elderly population with coronavirus? No, that's not entirely true: because of the immense strain being put on the Italian health care system from the novel coronavirus outbreak this year, doctors may be forced
Truth or Fiction?→ Is Amazon Suspending All Non-Essential Shipments Except for Medical Supplies and and ‘High-Demand’ Products?
On March 17 2020, a number of tweets suggested a massive looming disruption in the flow of products from Amazon to customers, claiming that only medical supplies and “high-demand items” would be available for up to a month: BREAKING
FactCheck.org→ Video: The Biden-Sanders Debate
In this video, we review three claims from the first head-to-head presidential primary debate between former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders: Biden denied that he ever talked on the Senate floor “about the necessity” of “cutting
Snopes→ Brady Leaving Patriots, Says ‘Football Journey’ is Elsewhere
Tom Brady, the centerpiece of the New England Patriots’ championship dynasty over the past two decades, is poised to leave the only football home he has ever had.
Truth or Fiction?→ Did ‘4 GOP Senators’ Self-Quarantine After Voting Against the Coronavirus Relief Bill?
In mid-March 2020, as Republican lawmakers faced criticism online over a bill that would provide sick pay to some American workers, a graphic spreading on Facebook spread disinformation about both the bill’s progress and the way the vote broke d
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: CNN Did NOT Report Will Smith Death Hoax
Did CNN report that actor Will Smith had died? No, that's not true: The story is another in a string of celebrity death hoaxes, but this one has a twist. A group of hoaxers - likely from the Philippines - has created a series of websites that
FactCheck.org→ Trump Misrepresents Google Coronavirus Website
President Donald Trump and other officials misleadingly suggested that tech behemoth Google was working on a screening website that large numbers of Americans could soon use to see if they should be tested for the new coronavirus. The website, however,
FactCheck.org→ False Claims of Nationwide Lockdown for COVID-19
Quick Take The National Security Council is warning Americans of a “FAKE” rumor circulating on social media that falsely claims President Donald Trump will impose a nationwide “mandatory quarantine.” President Donald Trump said
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Ilhan Omar Did NOT Give $50,000 Of Taxpayer Money To Al Qaida
Did Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota give $50,000 of taxpayer money to al-Qaida? No, that's not true: The article is a dated work of satire that other websites have, even now, stolen without noting the satirical nature of the story. The
Truth or Fiction?→ WIC-Approved Items and Coronavirus #SocialDistancing
On March 16 2020, the Facebook page “Vote Common Good” shared a screenshot of a tweet about social distancing, WIC-approved items, and conscientious coronavirus stock-up shopping: Labeled “a practical way to show kindness,”
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Coronavirus Outbreak Did NOT Prompt Gun And Ammunition Policy Changes At Walmart
Did efforts to control the novel coronavirus outbreak prompt Walmart to change its policy and no longer sell ammunition? No, that's not true: Walmart had already changed its ammo sales policy on September 3, 2019, a month after a gunman killed
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Train Was NOT Marked With "COVID-19" On Its Side
Was a tanker train spotted marked with "COVID-19" on its side, suggesting the novel coronavirus was packed inside? No, that's not true: The scientific name for the novel coronavirus was not painted on the train, nor was a train "carrying" the
Truth or Fiction?→ Has Italy Stopped Treating COVID-19 in the Elderly?
As Italy grappled with the spread of COVID-19, American Facebook users took that as their opportunity to insult a national health service. “Italy has decided NOT to treat their elderly for this virus !!!! That, my friends, is Socialized Health
Truth or Fiction?→ Did ‘Nancy and the Dems’ Try to ‘Slip Taxpayer-Funded Abortion’ into a Coronavirus Aid Bill?
On March 12 2020, a Facebook user shared a status update claiming that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the entire Democratic Party tried to “slip taxpayer-funded abortions” into a funding package designed to help blunt the worst effects of
FactCheck.org→ Infographic on Facebook Distorts Comparative Facts on Viruses
Quick Take A misleading chart being spread on Facebook, erroneously dubbing the new coronavirus the “least deadly virus,” contains outdated information about the coronavirus and erroneous information about the death rate of the 2009 pandemi
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Trump Will Evoke What Is Called the Stafford Act’ Viral Post
Amid growing concerns over the spread of novel coronavirus strain COVID-19 in mid-March 2020 and lack of information from the United States government, corrosive and weaponized disinformation thrived in the form of chain emails, Facebook posts, and te
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Cristiano Ronaldo NOT Turning His Hotels Into ‘Hospitals’ To Fight Coronavirus
Is Cristiano Ronaldo turning his CR7 hotels Into 'hospitals' to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus? No, this is not true. The Portuguese soccer legend's management company told Lead Stories that the claim - which has already been debun
Snopes→ Should COVID-19 Patients Avoid Taking Ibuprofen?
French medical advice warned that "adverse effects" of drugs such as ibuprofen had been reported in coronavirus patients.
FactCheck.org→ FactChecking the March Democratic Debate
Summary The first head-to-head debate of the Democratic presidential primary between former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders focused on the government’s response to the novel coronavirus outbreak. We sorted through competing claims th
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Coronavirus: Act Today or People Will Die
Did a story about the grave threat posed by the new coronavirus overstate the threat? No, it didn't. It may sound grim, but it's backed by science, according to medical experts. The story, which has gone viral on social media, appeared in an a
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Soldiers Are NOT On Streets Of Philly, NOT Hauling Off COVID-19 Patients To FEMA Camps
Does a video of military troops walking on a sidewalk show U.S. soldiers on a Philadelphia street preparing to invoke martial law on the city and round up citizens to be "hauled off to FEMA camps" because of the coronavirus crisis? No, that's
Lead Stories→ ‘Invoice Barr’ and the ‘Second Modification’: How Article Spinning Works
Facebook users have been seeing some strange headlines lately, thanks largely to a clickbaiter from Pakistan. "It's Official: Fox Information Terminates Decide Pirro's Contract" There is a large network of websites using political content to
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: NO Evidence CEO Resignations Are Linked To Global Conspiracy
Do recent CEO resignations foretell a global conspiracy involving mass extinctions, automation, and economic collapse? No, that's not true: The post being widely shared is filled with fear-mongering conspiracy theories. While several chief exe
New York Times→ Trump’s False Claims About His Response to the Coronavirus
The president inaccurately described travel restrictions he had announced, falsely blamed his predecessor for testing shortages and misstated the role Google was playing in mitigating the outbreak.
New York Times→ Trump’s False Claims About His Response to the Coronavirus
The president inaccurately described travel restrictions he had announced, falsely blamed his predecessor for testing shortages and misstated the role Google was playing in mitigating the outbreak.
Snopes→ Did Disagreement Over Abortion Slow Coronavirus-Relief Talks?
Sources linked to Republican and Democratic lawmakers had each accused the other side of politicizing the negotiations.
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s H1N1 Swine Flu Pandemic Spin
In tweets and other appearances, President Donald Trump has repeatedly compared his response to the new coronavirus with President Barack Obama’s handling of the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. But Trump’s information is frequently incorrect or misle
Truth or Fiction?→ Did 12,000 Americans Die of H1N1/Swine Flu, and Were 275,000 Hospitalized?
As concerns over novel coronavirus strain COVID-19 crested in mid-March 2020, comparisons between the effects of the strain versus that of H1N1 (or “swine flu”) more than a decade before triggered a flurry of fact checks, a Facebook flag o
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Website Urging People To Stay Home Offers Sound Advice
Does a website that urges people to "stay the f--- home" offer sound advice? Yes, it does, and here is some context: A medical doctor reviewed the suggestions for Lead Stories and said the website is sharing some "common sense" recommendations
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: New York City Is NOT Set To Undergo Citywide Quarantine
Will New York City begin a citywide quarantine? No, that's not true: That is false information tweeted by a self-proclaimed "patriotic American" backed up by no facts. In fact, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted a plea for people spreading
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Man NOT Infected With Coronavirus Who Claimed To Have Spread It At A Walmart In Louisiana
Did a man infected with coronavirus pass along the infection at a Walmart In Louisiana? No, this is not true: The man claimed that he tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and warned people that had been to a Walmart in Gulfport, Louisiana, t
Truth or Fiction?→ Stephen King ‘Coronavirus Is not Like ‘The Stand’ Response Tweet
On March 11 2020, Facebook page “The Other 98%” shared a screenshot of a popular Twitter exchange between author Stephen King and another Twitter user, during which King denied the COVID-19 global pandemic was “like The Stand,”
Truth or Fiction?→ South Korea Tested 200,000, the CDC Tested 77 in a Week, and the Utah Jazz Tested 58 Players for COVID-19 in Hours?
On March 12 2020, Twitter user @SawyerHackett tweeted that South Korea had managed to test 200,000 people for novel coronavirus strain COVID-19, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) only tested 77 people in a week — adding
Snopes→ Did Italy Confirm Almost 200 Coronavirus Deaths in 24 Hours?
As of early March 2020, Italy had seen the worst COVID-19 outbreak outside Asia.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: The Coronavirus Scare Did NOT Start Immediately After Impeachment
Did the coronavirus scare start immediately after impeachment in a plan to upend U.S. President Donald Trump? No, that's not true: That is a theory being spread by conservatives, ignoring the fact the outbreak began in China in late 2019, and