On October 31 2019, a Facebook page shared a text-based status update asserting that gender reveals had caused more deaths than antifascist protesters, popularly referred to as “antifa”: That status update appeared to reference a gender
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FactCheck.org→ Misleading Posts Target GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz
Quick Take Social media posts distort the facts around an 11-year-old, dismissed DUI charge against Rep. Matt Gaetz. They also leave the false impression that he “stole from dying people.” Full Story Posts about Rep. Matt Gaetz circula
Truth or Fiction?→ The Kidnapping Story Being Used to Sell a Flashlight
The TC1200 flashlight might be a quality item — but the advertising around it leaves several questions unanswered. A Facebook video promoting the product in October 2019 bases its ad on the story of a law enforcement officer named John McKnight. How
FactCheck.org→ Dubious Posts Tie Political Families to Ukraine Work
Quick Take There’s no evidence for social media claims that the children of Nancy Pelosi, Mitt Romney and John Kerry are working for “Ukrainian gas companies” or sitting “on the board of directors for energy companies doing busi
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Game of Thrones’ Showrunners’ Panel Gets Internet Attention for the Wrong Reasons
An appearance by the showrunners behind the recently-concluded series Game of Thrones drew heavy attention online on October 26 2019 through an unofficial source covering the event on Twitter: David is describing the pre-meeting with GRRM who was que
Truth or Fiction?→ Hospital’s ‘$39.95 Fee to Hold a Baby’ Controversy
On October 19 2019, a Facebook page shared the following screenshot of a tweet, including what looked to be a hospital bill with a $39.95 charge for “skin to skin contact” after a mother’s cesarean section: In the original tweet w
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s Spin on AIDS Epidemic
In his campaign rally speeches, President Donald Trump often boasts of his administration’s plan to end the AIDS epidemic in the U.S. in 10 years. It’s true he has proposed funding for that initiative, but he’s wrong to say “the previou
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘University of Oxford Clapping Ban’ Rumor
In October 2019, a number of tabloids claimed that the University of Oxford had “banned clapping,” a move made at the behest of “snowflakes” made “anxious” by applause. The Daily Mail was one of those outlets, repo
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Nancy Pelosi Was NOT In The Manson ‘Family’ Along With Angela Landsbury’s Daughter
Was a young Nancy Pelosi a member of the Charles Manson family, along with Angela Landsbury's daughter? No, that's not true: Pelosi was a 29-year-old married mother of five living in Washington, D.C., when she purportedly posed in a photo with
Truth or Fiction?→ Jewish Prisoners Liberated from a Train in Madgeburg in April 1945
On October 22 2019 a Reddit user shared the following image to r/pics, purportedly depicting a moment during World War II when Jewish prisoners learned they had been liberated from a train traveling to a death camp: This is such a powerful
Truth or Fiction?→ California Law Limiting Freelance Publication Options Could Face Legal Threat
A California law addressing the discrepancies between independent contractors and contracted workers could spur a legal challenge from journalists before it takes effect in January 2020. Under the new law, known as AB5, news outlets would face a cap i
Truth or Fiction?→ Can Consuming Too Much Coffee Under Stress Cause Schizophrenia Symptoms?
On October 15 2019, the Facebook page “Weird Facts” shared the following “fact meme,” which claimed that the combination of a lot of coffee and a lot of stress could cause symptoms of schizophrenia — presumably in people no
FactCheck.org→ The Facts on Mental Illness and Mass Shootings
Q: Do people with serious mental health disorders pose a greater risk of becoming mass shooters? A: People with mental illnesses are somewhat more likely to be violent than those without a diagnosis. But a majority are never violent, and very little is
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Former Atheist Brad Pitt Does NOT Become A Christian As He Recovers From Alcoholism
Did "former atheist" Brad Pitt "become a Christian" while recovering from alcoholism? No, that's not true: Pitt, who grew up as a Christian, told a GQ magazine interviewer in 2019 that he "called myself an atheist for a while" during a "rebell
Snopes→ Chicago Teachers Strike, Say Issue Simple: ‘It’s the Kids’
Chicago teachers went on strike, marching on picket lines after failing to reach a contract deal with the nation's third-largest school district in a dispute that canceled classes for more than 300,000 students.
Snopes→ Trump Rule May Mean 1 Million Kids Lose Automatic Free Lunch
Nearly a million children could lose their automatic eligibility for free school lunches under a Trump administration proposal that would reduce the number of people who get food stamps.
FactCheck.org→ FactChecking the October Democratic Debate
Summary We found several false and misleading claims in the October Democratic presidential debate: Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro claimed that the most recent jobs data show that “Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania &
Truth or Fiction?→ Frida Kahlo: ‘You Deserve a Lover’
In October 2015, the Facebook page “Sacred Dreams” shared an image and purported quotation attributed to Frida Kahlo, sometimes referenced in shorthand as “you deserve a lover”: Alongside a suspiciously modern-appear
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Columbus Set Out to Prove the Earth Was Round’
In October 2019, a number of memes about the legacy of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus circulated on Facebook around Columbus Day, among them a meme about the claim that he “proved” that Earth is round: In the above meme, the
Truth or Fiction?→ The ‘Inspirational’ History of KFC’s Colonel Sanders
The man behind the Kentucky Fried Chicken fast food chain led a truly colorful life, but a recurring meme dating back at least as far as 2016 obscures the facts in favor of presenting a more “inspirational” version. One version of the purp
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s Misguided Tweet on California Gasoline Prices
California’s proposed fuel efficiency standards for cars don’t have anything to do with the state having the highest gas prices in the country, but that’s what President Donald Trump suggested in a tweet. The state is pushing for high
Truth or Fiction?→ Disinformation Peddlers Push ‘October 16th’ Conspiracy Theory
A gaggle of specious blogs and social media accounts set about inflaming tensions for their followers in a set of posts reminiscent of other fake controversies. The posts center on vaguely-worded “threats” and wide-ranging military deploym
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s Claims About Hunter Biden in China
President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused Hunter Biden, without evidence, of making millions of dollars in a “payoff” from China, after accompanying his father, then-Vice President Joe Biden, on a 2013 diplomatic trip to Beijing. The cl
Truth or Fiction?→ Was a Toddler Subjected to Months of Abuse Because of a ‘Cookie’ Analogy?
In September 2019, a Facebook user shared an image and a harrowing story about the purported sexual abuse of a toddler that went unreported for months because the young girl supposedly was not taught anatomically correct words: Alongside a photograph
FactCheck.org→ Fact: Trump TV Ad Misleads on Biden and Ukraine
With its candidate the subject of an impeachment inquiry, President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign has gone on the offensive with a TV ad that claims to present the “facts” about Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and Ukr
Truth or Fiction?→ ’95-Year-Old Former President Jimmy Carter Building a House With a Black Eye’ Meme
On October 8 2019, a Reddit user shared the following animated image to r/gifs, purportedly showing former United States president Jimmy Carter building homes for Habitat for Humanity while still visibly recovering from a fall-related injury (as evid
PolitiFact→ Did Elizabeth Warren lose a teaching job because she was pregnant?
Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren tells a different story today than she once did about how she lost a teaching shortly after graduating from college. The Massachusetts senator now says she lost the job because she was pregnant.
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Joe Biden Does NOT Confess to Bribery
Did Joe Biden confess to bribery when he told how he warned Ukraine's leader the United States would withhold a $1 billion loan unless a prosecutor was replaced? No, that's not true: A video posted with the "bribery" claim is from the former v
Truth or Fiction?→ Does Footage Prove Elizabeth Warren Lied About ‘Visibly Pregnant’ Firing?
In early October 2019, a number of social media posts and attendant articles referenced a multi-layered claim that Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) “lied” about being fired because she was “visibly pregnant.” Social medi
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Sometimes Dogs or Wolves in Movies Need CGI Tails Because They’re So Excited to be Doing a Good Job Acting’
On October 6 2019, the following post spread rapidly on Facebook, concerning wolves and dogs in the movie industry and how they may sometimes need computer-generated editing to make them look less happy or excited: View post on imgur.com Beneath an
Truth or Fiction?→ Will 154,000,000 Pieces of Plastic from Christmas Crackers in the UK Wind Up in the Ocean in a Single Year?
In late September and early October 2019, a very specific claim involving Christmas crackers (a tradition involving devices called “party poppers” in some countries; they are made from cardboard and gunpowder, generally contain confetti or
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Ulysses S. Grant Say a Second Civil War Could be Waged Over Intelligence Vs. Superstition?
On September 30 2019, pundit Malcolm Nance shared the following quote meme to Facebook, purportedly involving remarks made by former United States President Ulysses S. Grant on the prospect of a second Civil War: One day prior, U.S. Presiden
FactCheck.org→ Schiff’s ‘Parody’ and Trump’s Response
In recent days, President Donald Trump has suggested that Rep. Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House intelligence committee, should be arrested for “treason” and charged with “lying to Congress” for mischaracterizing Trump’s July
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Meet The Black Family Who Did NOT Produce Cars For 100 Years Before Henry Ford
Did a Black American family produce cars 100 years before Henry Ford launched his automobile company? No, that's not true: While an escaped slave and his son owned a horse carriage manufacturing business before the invention of automobiles, th
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Luisa Neubauer Is NOT Greta Thunberg’s Supervisor
Is Luisa Neubauer the "supervisor" or "handler" of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg? And does Neubauer's relationship with anti-poverty campaign organization One.org prove Thunberg is part of some "elite" plot? No, that's not true: Neub
Truth or Fiction?→ Elizabeth Warren Accused of Claiming to be Cherokee and Plagiarizing Recipes in ‘Pow Wow Chow’
On September 26 2019, a social media user tweeted out screenshots and text accusing Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) of claiming Cherokee heritage and plagiarizing recipes from the New York Times: Elizabeth Warren not only claimed to be &qu
Lead Stories→ Fake News: No Study Says Vitamin D Is More Effective Than Flu Vaccine
Did a scientific study conclude that vitamin D supplements are more effective than flu vaccines in preventing influenza? No, that's not true: Stories making the claim cite reviews and studies that concluded there are significant benefits from
Lead Stories→ Fake News: Estella Brasier (aka Estella Renee) Is NOT A Child Actress Paid For Climate Protest
Is Estella Brasier, a girl who can be seen crying during an interview at a climate protest in Australia really a child actress who is being paid to protest? Or is she not really an activist but is she just acting? No, that's not true: Lead Sto
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Trump-Supporting Teens Trick Bernie Sanders into Posing with Them?
In late September 2019 a number of Facebook posters shared a photograph of Sen. Bernie Sanders posing with two high school girls in “Trump 2020” and “Make America Great Again” attire. Although some users shared it without a mis
FactCheck.org→ Meme Gets Israel Gun Laws Wrong
Quick Take An old meme has resurfaced, spreading misinformation about gun laws and school violence in Israel. Full Story A meme that spread misinformation following the school shooting that resulted in 17 deaths in Parkland, Florida, in 2018 has re-e