On July 20 2019, the Facebook page “Being Liberal” shared a screenshot of a tweet published two days earlier by @IFLScience concerning segregation and Challenger astronaut Ronald McNair: In 1959 a librarian called the police on 9-r-old Ro
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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→ Trump’s and Miller’s Attacks on ‘The Squad’
President Donald Trump and his top immigration adviser continue to criticize four progressive Democratic congresswomen known as “the squad,” but some of their claims twist the women’s words. We’ve dealt with a couple of these
PolitiFact→ Donald Trump – No, Ocasio-Cortez didn't call Americans garbage, as Donald Trump claims
The Truth-o-Meter says: False | No, Ocasio-Cortez didn't call Americans garbage, as Donald Trump claims President Donald Trump stands firmly by the distortion that U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., called the United States and its people
FactCheck.org→ Viral Story Spreads Made-Up AOC ‘Quote’ on Soldiers
Quick Take A publication known for spreading “satire” content that confuses social media users attributed a bogus quote about soldiers’ pay to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Full Story A headline claiming that Democratic Rep. Alex
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘That’s One Way to Escape the Police’ Ferrari Video
On July 19, the Facebook page “LADbible” shared video of a risky driving maneuver by a Ferrari, displaying the label “That’s one way to escape the police… 😱🚨”: The smooth and highly realistic footage seemed
Hoax-Slayer→ ‘2 Days to Pay’ Fake Blackmail Sextortion Scam Email
According to this email, which appears to have been sent from your own email address, someone has created a video of you "pleasing yourself" while visiting porn websites. The post ‘2 Days to Pay’ Fake Blackmail Sextortion Scam Email appeare
Hoax-Slayer→ Bank Of Ireland Warns Customers About Phishing Text Message
The Bank of Ireland (BOI) is warning customers to watch out for phishing scam messages delivered by SMS. The post Bank Of Ireland Warns Customers About Phishing Text Message appeared first on Hoax-Slayer.
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Warren Buffett Did NOT Tweet That Quote About Continuing To Suffer
Was the following quote tweeted by famous investor Warren Buffett? You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. True power is sitting back and observing things with logic. True power is rest
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
FactCheck.org→ Mailbag: Electricity Costs
One reader sent us a comment about what should be included when calculating the cost of generating electricity. In the FactCheck Mailbag, we feature some of the email we receive. Readers can send comments to editor@factcheck.org. Letters may be edited
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’
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
Snopes→ Looking to Declaw Your Cat? Don’t Look in New York Anymore
New York has become the first state to ban the declawing of cats.
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
Truth or Fiction?→ A View of San Francisco ‘Yesterday’?
On July 20 2019 the Facebook page “The Modern Conservative” shared the following image, purportedly showing San Francisco the day before: Commenters lamented the purported state of the city underneath the photograph: SF is going downhil
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Addiction’ Sculpture in Amsterdam
In June 2019, the Facebook page “Archeology & Civilizations” shared the following image, purportedly of a sculpture in Amsterdam called “Addiction.” That post wasn’t the only time the same piece title and description
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
Washington Post→ Joe Biden’s claim that he got ‘150,000 combat troops out of Iraq’
Biden had a big hand in withdrawing U.S. forces from Iraq during Obama’s first term. But he was still the vice president during Obama’s second term, when thousands of U.S. troops returned to the country.
Hoax-Slayer→ Scammers Are Pretending to be Lottery Winner Harold Diamond
Criminals continue to distribute emails claiming to be from 2014 Mega Millions jackpot lottery winner Harold Diamond. The post Scammers Are Pretending to be Lottery Winner Harold Diamond appeared first on Hoax-Slayer.
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
Snopes→ Memories of Watching Apollo 11: ‘You Could Hear a Pin Drop’
Millions of people huddled in front of televisions at home and gathered in auditoriums and schoolrooms as the Apollo 11 astronauts ventured onto another world for the first time.
Hoax-Slayer→ Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts — Quickly Access a Cheat Sheet
Are you a Gmail user? If so, you can speed up your workflow with keyboard shortcuts. There is a convenient cheat sheet that lists them all in one place. The post Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts — Quickly Access a Cheat Sheet appeared first on Hoax-Slayer.
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
FactCheck.org→ Video: Biden’s Crime Bill Claims
In this week’s fact-checking video, CNN’s Jake Tapper discusses three claims Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden made about his support for the 1994 crime bill. The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 received
Truth or Fiction?→ Is the Hotel Closest To Area 51 Fully Booked for the ‘Storm Area 51’ Event?
Buzz about the viral “Storm Area 51” Facebook event continued through July 2019, including an article on a site called AnonNews.co about a flurry of hotel bookings for the venue nearest the famed military installation: Despite the warnings
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
FactCheck.org→ Protections for Drivers Who Hit Protesters Didn’t Pass
Quick Take A viral post falsely asserts that Republicans are responsible for “passing laws making it legal to run over protesters with your car.” That distorts proposed, but not enacted, legislation in several states offering some protecti
Hoax-Slayer→ Watch Out for ATO Tax Debt Scams Delivered Via WhatsApp
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is warning people about a new scam campaign that uses the cross-platform messaging service, WhatsApp. The post Watch Out for ATO Tax Debt Scams Delivered Via WhatsApp appeared first on Hoax-Slayer.
Hoax-Slayer→ What The Hell is ‘WhatsApp’ and Why Should I Care?
Almost every time I publish an article that discusses WhatsApp, at least one person will post a "What is WhatsApp?" comment. The post What The Hell is ‘WhatsApp’ and Why Should I Care? appeared first on Hoax-Slayer.
Hoax-Slayer→ Why You Should Download a Copy of Your Facebook Information (And How to Do It)
It’s a good idea to download a full copy of your Facebook information, store it in a safe place, and let those close to you know how to access it if the need arises. The post Why You Should Download a Copy of Your Facebook Information (And How to Do
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Obama Did NOT Remove Citizenship Question From The U.S. Census
If President Trump isn't allowed to add the citizenship question to the U.S. census for 2020, then why was President Obama allowed to remove it for the 2010 census? That's a trick question posed by a meme. Yes, a federal court did block the Tr
Washington Post→ Trump falsely claims he tried to stop ‘Send her back!’ chants about Rep. Ilhan Omar
Trump was the first to say Omar should go back to her country. At the rally, he waited 13 seconds for the chants to die down. Then he kept talking about Omar.
PolitiFact→ Fifty years after Apollo 11, moon landing hoaxes still thrive online
Fifty years ago this Saturday, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the moon. But not everyone believes it. Almost as soon as the Apollo 11 spaceflight landed at Tranquility Base on July 20, 1969, conspiracy theories ab
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?→ Do Federal Guidelines List ‘Go Back Where You Came From’ as an Example of Harassment?
On July 16 2019, producer Nick Ramsey sent a tweet referencing a controversy involving U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that people unhappy with the United States should “go back to where they came from”: … from the @u
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: Rashida Tlaib Did NOT Tweet "Americans have spent decades raping and pillaging my people. What goes around comes around. #FridayFeeling"
Did congresswoman Rashida Tlaib send a tweet that said "Americans have spent decades raping and pillaging my people. What goes around comes around. #FridayFeeling" and did she quickly delete it afterwards? No, that's not true: the tweet was pu