Says Bill Gates visited Jeffrey Epstein’s Island "37 times"
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – No, 50 politicians weren’t taken to a bunker
“50 U.S. politicians who received satellite phones were taken to an undisclosed government bunker facility to ensure a Continuation of Government.”
The Dispatch→ Tim Scott Gets a Leg Up From DeSantis’ Stumble
The senator from South Carolina benefited from excellent timing this week. Continue reading Tim Scott Gets a Leg Up From DeSantis’ Stumble »
PolitiFact→ MAGA Inc – Pro-Donald Trump PAC ad misleads about Ron DeSantis’ stance on border wall
“Ron DeSantis voted against the wall.”
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – Claim of 1 million Ukrainian soldiers dead has no official backing
"1,000,000 Ukraine soldiers wiped out”
The Dispatch→ Does Anything Matter?
Two thoughts on the Republican primary. Continue reading Does Anything Matter? »
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – Facebook posts claiming that Walmart’s giving $500 refunds are scams
“If you shopped at Walmart in 2022, you could be entitled to a $500 refund!”
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – No evidence North Korea is evacuating its capital. Claim stems from unconfirmed 2017 report
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un “just ordered the evacuation of the capital city.”
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Eugenicist Victim Blaming’: Disability Experts Criticize Story Painting COVID-19 as Near ‘Endemic’
A San Francisco television station’s story about an “endemic” phase to the COVID-19 pandemic alarmed disability experts and advocates. The story, aired by KGO-TV on May 22 2023, features Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine an
PolitiFact→ Joe Biden – Joe Biden offers misleading description of his role in four-nation “Quad” group
Said he was “able to convince India, Australia, Japan, and the United States to form an organization called the Quad to maintain stability in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea."
Truth or Fiction?→ Anthony Bourdain on Henry Kissinger
On May 26 2023, multiple accounts shared a quote attributed to celebrity chef and travel correspondent Anthony Bourdain, on the topic of former American diplomat Henry Kissinger and his legacy in Cambodia: Henry Kissinger turns 100 by
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Walt Disney World Did NOT Replace US Flags With LGBTQ+ Pride Flags — It’s A Satirical Post
Did Walt Disney World remove "all American flags" and replace them with "the Pride flag" to honor lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) rights? No, that's not true: As of May 25, 2023, the Walt Disney Company had not annou
FactCheck.org→ mRNA Vaccines Protect Against COVID-19 Mortality, Contrary to Misleading Posts
SciCheck Digest Numerous studies have shown the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in preventing severe disease and death from COVID-19. But some social media posts are citing a criticized study that focuses on overall mortality to false
PolitiFact→ Facebook posts – ‘Breaking’ news about U.S. Navy destroyer firing at Iranian ship is from 2017
U.S. destroyer recently fired at an armed Iranian ship.
PolitiFact→ Instagram posts – Social media post misleads with Los Angeles County list of ‘zero-bail’ policy exceptions
A list shows violent crimes in Los Angeles that “people will be set free on as of today.”
Full Fact→ Reports of deadly rattlesnake found in UK and Ireland are false
Hoax Facebook posts claim the same snake has been found in multiple locations in the UK and Ireland.
PolitiFact→ TikTok posts – Did US military let migrants cross the border illegally? Claims mischaracterize border footage
Video shows a U.S. military member opening a border gate and allowing immigrants to enter the country illegally.
The Dispatch→ The ‘X-Date’ Cometh
Plus: A Q&A with Rep. Mike Gallagher on China policy. Continue reading The ‘X-Date’ Cometh »
Full Fact→ Spain’s High Court didn’t call Covid-19 a ‘bioweapon’
A document released by the Health Ministry in 2021 said that it did not have its own culture of the virus. This was misinterpreted in a blog and on social media.
Full Fact→ Sunglasses don’t cause sunburn
A social media post claims that sunglasses prevent melanin production, increasing the risk of sunburn. This is an incorrect description of the process of tanning.
Full Fact→ No evidence pictured dog has really been found at different locations across the UK
The same image has been shared with similar text in local Facebook groups around the country and abroad.
Full Fact→ ‘Illegal immigrants’ don’t get an average £26,000 a year in benefits
An image shared on Facebook offers a misleading comparison between state pension payments and benefits given to “illegal immigrants”.
The Dispatch→ Trailing Trump, DeSantis Comes Out Swinging
Plus: Republican spending groups pick their horses for West Virginia Senate Seat. Continue reading Trailing Trump, DeSantis Comes Out Swinging »
PolitiFact→ TikTok posts – No, DeSantis no firmó una ley que prohíbe exhibir la bandera de Puerto Rico en público
Ron DeSantis "firmó una ley para prohibir exhibir la bandera de Puerto Rico en público".
The Dispatch→ New Book Club Episode: A Conversation With David Grann
First discussion of the summer season. Continue reading New Book Club Episode: A Conversation With David Grann »
Logically→ Video of Hillary Clinton endorsing Ron DeSantis is a deep fake
Full Fact→ Hoax posts about missing ‘William Daniels’ shared widely on Facebook
Identical posts have been shared across the UK.
AllSides→ FactChecking Ron DeSantis’ Presidential Announcement
https://www.factcheck.org/2023/05/factchecking-ron-desantis-presidential-announcement/ Florida Gov. Ron
PolitiFact→ Kelda Helen Roys – It’s true: Infertility treatment is often excluded from insurance coverage
Infertility is treated differently than other issues and "often excluded from insurance coverage"
Full Fact→ Emergency alerts system set to cost £25 million over three years, government finally reveals
The Cabinet Office had previously declined to give any figures after claims about the cost of the emergency alerts test were made on social media.
AllSides→ Did John Fetterman Say He Wants to Overturn Second Amendment?
https://www.newsweek.com/kari-lake-accuses-john-fetterman-overturn-second-amendment-1802485 Former Ariz
Logically→ No, Dr Sebi’s alkaline diet does not cure AIDS or Cancer
The Dispatch→ The Debt Ceiling Clock Ticks On
Plus: Biden taps Gen. Charles “C.Q.” Brown as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Continue reading The Debt Ceiling Clock Ticks On »
Full Fact→ False claims about cancer causing chemical in sunscreen
A social media post claims that most sunscreens contain benzene, a chemical linked to cancer. It isn’t used as an ingredient, and the data on contamination doesn’t support these claims.
Health Feedback→ COVID-19 mRNA vaccines saved lives by reducing risks of infection and severe COVID-19
REVIEW Large randomized clinical trials (RCT) showed that COVID-19 vaccines were safe and effective against COVID-19, a disease that caused more than 6 million deaths worldwide as of May 2023. After the first year of mass vaccination worldwide, math
The Dispatch→ Debt Ceiling Countdown: An Explainer
Here we go...again? Continue reading Debt Ceiling Countdown: An Explainer »
The Dispatch→ Does a New Immigration Reform Bill Have a Chance?
A proposal splitting the difference between Republicans and Democrats faces steep odds. Continue reading Does a New Immigration Reform Bill Have a Chance? »
The Dispatch→ A Win for Algorithms at the Supreme Court
By not ruling on Section 230 in cases involving Twitter and Google, the court kept in place a beneficial status quo. Continue reading A Win for Algorithms at the Supreme Court »
FactCheck.org→ FactChecking Ron DeSantis’ Presidential Announcement
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made his presidential candidacy official on May 24, first with a glitch-delayed livestream on Twitter Spaces, followed by an interview on Fox News. Making his pitch for the Republican nomination, DeSantis leaned heavily in
PolitiFact→ Instagram posts – New York mayor has beef with carbon emissions, but isn’t tracking or limiting city’s meat eaters
"NYC mayor plans to track and limit meat and dairy."