Not long after Quaden Bayles became the virally popular star of an anti-bullying campaign, Twitter’s trending topics boosted a conspiracy theory under “He’s 18,” linked to tweets alleging the nine-year-old boy was a much olde
Search Results (2181) for: supposed
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Six Coronavirus Cases NOT Confirmed In Wichita, Kansas (Or Several Other U.S. Cities)
Were six coronavirus cases confirmed in Wichita, Kansas? No, that's not true: This story originated from a network of websites known for publishing sensational and false stories. No cases were confirmed there. And residents in at least 13 othe
Lead Stories→ Fake News: A Viral Image Does NOT Show Rep. Ilhan Omar Without A Head Scarf
Does a viral photo show U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar without a head scarf? No, that's not true: it is an altered image of a man arrested in South Wales that purports to be the Democrat from Minnesota. The image, including one posted here (archived her
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Someone Edit Michael Bloomberg’s Wikipedia Page to Say He ‘Died’ of Wounds Inflicted by Elizabeth Warren?
During a particularly contentious Democratic debate on February 19 2020, rumors circulated on Twitter and Facebook that a mischievous Wikipedia user had edited Michael Bloomberg’s page and indicated he “died” — due to wounds s
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Pipeline Protesters Out of Gas’ Meme
On February 17 2020, a Facebook user shared the following post that purports to show “pipeline protesters” ironically holding an “out of gas” sign — ironic, because they ran out of fuel on their way to a protest: Atop
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Obama, Clinton And Rice NOT Pictured Chumming With Osama bin Laden
Is a post making the rounds on Facebook showing Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice chumming with Osama bin Laden real? No, that's not true. The faked photos, arranged in a collage, are poorly altered images. But they are gainin
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Dearborn Did NOT Join California In Canceling President’s Day
Did the city of Dearborn, Michigan, decide to join California in cancelng President's Day? No, that's not true: This story was a piece of satire published on a liberal website that intentionally sets out to mislead conservative supporters. The
Hoax-Slayer→ ‘Confidential Document via cPanel’ Email Account Phishing Scam
According to this email, you have received a confidential document via cPanel cloud systems. Supposedly, the email was sent by cPanel Support's Head of Security. The post ‘Confidential Document via cPanel’ Email Account Phishing Scam appear
FactCheck.org→ Viral Posts Spread Iran-‘Deep State’ Conspiracy Theory
Quick Take An online conspiracy theory falsely claims that Democratic leaders coordinated the June attacks on two oil tankers and a U.S. drone and that President Donald Trump caught them in the act. The Trump administration has placed the blame squarel
Lead Stories→ Fake News: PepsiCo NOT Discontinuing Production of Mtn Dew
Did PepsiCo decide to discontinue the production of Mountain Dew (which it stylizes as Mtn Dew) products because they have been shown to adversely affect people's health? No, that's not true: The post is a hoax. PepsiCo has denied it plans to
Lead Stories→ Fake News: IG Report Did NOT Say Hillary Clinton Committed ‘Sexual Crimes Against Children’ And That Barack Obama Covered Up Those Crimes
Did an Inspector General's Report say Hillary Clinton committed 'sexual crimes against children'? And did Barack Obama lie to cover up Clinton's supposed crimes? No, neither are true: The IG report did not refer to any sexual crimes against ch
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Nancy Pelosi NOT Fined $40K For Destruction Of Government Property
Was U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi fined $40,000 for destruction government property for shredding her copy of President Donald Trump's State of the Union address? No, that's not true: This is a work of satire that has been ripped off by real
Truth or Fiction?→ Angelika Greg-Delany #WalkAway Campaign: ‘I Came From the Soviet Socialist Part of the Ukraine, I Barely Survived’
Late on February 6 or early February 7 2020, Facebook user “Angelika Greg-Delany” shared a purportedly true account to the group #WalkAway Campaign — purportedly first about her encounter with a Russia-bashing “Bernie Sanders s
Truth or Fiction?→ Is H&R Block ‘Sex Worker Friendly’?
In January 2020, a post claiming that tax preparer H&R Block was “sex worker friendly” circulated — first on Twitter, then on Facebook: Hey sex workers if taxes are intimidating to you don’t forget H&R Block is sex worker
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Facebook Is NOT Using "Fact-Checking" Bots To Stalk Your Page
Is Facebook using "fact-checking" bots to stalk your page and report on your posts? No, that is not true. The popular social media platform says such allegations are false and that no fact-checking bots are being used in such a way. It's uncle
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Pelosi Does NOT Face 3 Years In Prison For Ripping Up State of Union Speech Copy
Could U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi face up to three years in prison for tearing up a copy of President Donald Trump's State of the Union address? No, that's not true: The law in question applies only to documents that are considered officia
Truth or Fiction?→ What is a ‘Recanvass’?
Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez’s demand on February 6 2020 not only prolonged ongoing controversy surrounding the Iowa Democratic Party Caucuses — it also ignited interest in the process of a recanvass. “Enough is enou
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘This is a Real-Life Post by an Anti-Abortion Activist, You Can’t Make This S*** Up’
On February 3 2020, Twitter user @HayleeFarless shared the following purported screenshot of a woman named Jamie Jeffries to a closed Facebook group called, “Are You Even Pro-Life?” with a comment claiming that it was “a real-life po
FactCheck.org→ FactChecking the State of the Union
Summary In his 2020 address to Congress, President Donald Trump stretched and distorted the facts: Trump claimed the economy is “the best it has ever been.” But GDP growth fell to 2.3% last year and economists predict further slowing this year. He
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Irish Midget NOT Accused Of Posing As A Leprechaun To Extort Sex From 26 Women In Exchange For Pot Of Gold
Was an Irish midget accused of soliciting sex from women by posing as a leprechaun and promising a pot of gold? No, that's not true: This is, while possibly funny to some, a piece of satire that has been presented as real news and is being wid
Truth or Fiction?→ ’30 Marines, 1 Sailor Die in Helicopter Crash on Same Day as Kobe Bryant’ Meme
Following the January 26 2020 death of athlete Kobe Bryant, posts circulated on Facebook alongside the headline “30 Marines, 1 Sailor Die in Helicopter Crash”: Sharers definitively connected the purported news to Bryant’s death,
Truth or Fiction?→ Origin of the Word ‘Spinster’
The word “spinster” generally conjures up a mental picture of mean little old ladies who have never been married, glaring at young people from behind their living room curtains (which are lacy and yellowed with age, naturally) with their m
Lead Stories→ Fake News: ‘High-Level Exercise’ Conducted 3 Months Ago Did NOT Show That A Coronavirus Pandemic Could Kill 65 Million People
Did a "high-level exercise" conducted three months ago show that a coronavirus pandemic could kill 65 million people? No, that's not true: The organizers of the event, which was held in October 2019, have issued a statement saying that they ma
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Those Cups Are Made to Be Thrown in the Laundry After You Fill Them Up, It Cleans Them’?
On January 20 2020 Facebook user Amber Miller shared a virally popular “laundry hack,” asserting that detergent cups are designed to be added to every wash, because “it cleans them”: Miller’s post racked up over 13,000 sh
FactCheck.org→ Social Media Posts Spread Bogus Coronavirus Conspiracy Theory
Quick Take Multiple social media posts are spreading a bogus conspiracy theory about the deadly Wuhan virus. The posts falsely claim that the virus has been patented and a vaccine is already available. That’s not true; the patents the posts refer to
Hoax-Slayer→ ‘I Have Your Secrets’ Fake Blackmail Sextortion Scam Email
This email claims to be from a spy͏ware software developer who "has your secrets". Supposedly, the "hacker" has installed malware on your device. The post ‘I Have Your Secrets’ Fake Blackmail Sextortion Scam Email appeared first on Hoax-S
Truth or Fiction?→ Trump ‘Break My Stride’ Tweets
On January 18 2020, Twitter users shared the following video that purportedly showed a screenshot of United States President Donald Trump’s recent tweets — which taken together, formed the lyrics to “Break My Stride,” a 1983 pop s
Truth or Fiction?→ Martin Luther King, Jr.: ‘Capitalism Does Not Permit an Even Flow of Economic Resources’
On January 17 2020, an Imgur post featured a screenshot of a tweet by @andrehenry quoting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Capitalism, asserting that such a system did not “permit an even flow of resources”: “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wa
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: 2,142 Women Were NOT Murdered Last Year By A Current Or Former Partner
Were 2,142 women murdered last year by a current or former partner? That is not true: While the meme making the claim is well-intended, it overstates the number of American woman murdered in domestic violence incidents each year. The real real
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Downy in Toilet’ Housekeeping Hack
On January 14 2020, a Facebook post appeared advising readers to pour a cup of laundry detergent of fabric softener like Downy into their toilet tank, a supposed housecleaning “hack”: Alongside a photograph of a person in yellow glove
PolitiFact→ Donald Trump – Fact-checking Trump's claim that Obama designated Iran's Soleimani a terrorist but did nothing
The Truth-o-Meter says: Mostly True | Fact-checking Trump's claim that Obama designated Iran's Soleimani a terrorist but did nothing Campaigning for re-election in Milwaukee, host city for the upcoming Democratic National Convention, President Dona
Hoax-Slayer→ DHL ‘Shipment Notification’ Malware Email
This email is supposedly a shipment notification from delivery company DHL. It asks you to click a link to confirm your delivery details. The post DHL ‘Shipment Notification’ Malware Email appeared first on Hoax-Slayer.
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Bernie Sanders Tell Elizabeth Warren a Woman Couldn’t Win a Presidential Election?
On January 13 2020, CNN published an article with the headline, “Bernie Sanders told Elizabeth Warren in private 2018 meeting that a woman can’t win, sources say.” It began: The stakes were high when Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warr
Truth or Fiction?→ 2016 ‘Bern the Witch’ Sanders Campaign Event
On January 14 2020, Twitter user @TrinityMustache claimed that the 2016 Bernie Sanders campaign hosted a “Bern the Witch” event attacking then-Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton: Bernie Sanders had a “Bern the Witch”
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Barack Obama Did NOT Announce Intention To Run For President Of Kenya In 2021
Did former U.S. President Barack Obama announce that he will enter the race to become Kenya's new president in 2021? No, that's not true: This is a work of satire, everything is made up, and Obama is currently working to lift the Democratic pa
Hoax-Slayer→ ‘Outlook Security Issue’ Phishing Scam
This email, which was supposedly sent by Microsoft, warns that your Outlook account has been suspended due to a security issue. The post ‘Outlook Security Issue’ Phishing Scam appeared first on Hoax-Slayer.
Hoax-Slayer→ Bogus Bill of Lading Email Carries Malware
The attachment that comes with this email supposedly contains a Bill of Lading from an international shipping company. The post Bogus Bill of Lading Email Carries Malware appeared first on Hoax-Slayer.
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Long Lost ‘City of Giants’ NOT Unearthed In Ethiopia
Was a long lost "City of Giants" unearthed in Ethiopia? No, that's not true: There is no evidence to suggest an Ethiopian city was once inhabited by giants, and stories making the rounds online have twisted the original article's reporting. Th
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Vermont Socialist Plans Mayoralty with Bias Toward Poor’ Headline
As the Iowa caucuses edged closer in January 2020, Twitter account @CANCEL_SAM shared a screenshot of a purported 1981 New York Times article ostensibly about Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) bearing the headline, “Vermont Socialist Plans Mayor
Truth or Fiction?→ Online Debate Stirs Fears of a ‘Star Wars’ Disinformation Campaign
A round of rumors and criticism surrounding the new Star Wars movie series has ignited debate in what has become an ongoing discussion about disinformation pushed in pop culture fandom — but experts are split whether that label applies to a Reddi