The virus was used in a fictional scenario during a theoretical planning event in March 2021.
Logically→ Michael Jackson was killed for saying that history is a lie.
Jackson's words have been taken out of context to lend credibility to conspiracy theory narratives.
Snopes→ IRS Initiates Safety Probe After Threats to Workers
The Internal Revenue Service announced that it was conducting a comprehensive review of safety at its facilities.
Full Fact→ Out-of-date map showing high GB electricity prices compared to Europe re-emerges
A screenshot circulating on social media shows electricity prices in September 2021, and doesn’t reflect current prices.
PolitiFact→ Ben Cline – Cline embellishes potential IRS expansion
A new Democratic law “will make the IRS workforce larger than the Pentagon, FBI, State Department, and Customs and Border Patrol, combined.”
Snopes→ Serena Williams Tells Meghan of Baby’s Injury Before Match
Serena Williams and Meghan recount challenges they've experienced as working mothers on the Duchess of Sussex's first podcast.
Snopes→ Call Shows Inmates Knew ‘Whitey’ Bulger Was Moving to Prison
Inmates at a troubled West Virginia prison where James “Whitey” Bulger was beaten to death found out ahead of time that the notorious Boston gangster would be arriving.
Full Fact→ Image does not show parents of ‘trans baby’
A picture of a trans couple who paused their own transitions to have a baby is being falsely labelled.
Snopes→ Park Outside: Fire Risk Prompts Hyundai, Kia Hitch Recalls
Hyundai and Kia are telling owners of some of their large SUVs to park them outdoors and away from buildings after a series of fires involving trailer hitch wiring.
Snopes→ Explained: A New Bill Would Create a National Standard For US Data Privacy
The American Data and Privacy Protection Act still needs to pass the full House and the Senate, and negotiations are ongoing.
Snopes→ Ukraine Marks Independence Day Six Months After Start of War
Residents of Kyiv woke up to air raid sirens as Ukraine observed its Independence Day, which also marked exactly six months since the start of Russia's military invasion.
Logically→ The World Economic Forum wants to end private car ownership.
In an article, WEF discussed how to reduce metal demand by sharing products like cars. It did not suggest ending private car ownership altogether.
Poynter→ Claim that Congress members exempted themselves from IRS audits started as satire
Following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which sets aside about $46 billion for increased Internal Revenue Service enforcement, some social media posts claim members of Congress gave themselves immunity from […] The post Claim that
Logically→ A video shows an explosion at a mosque in Kabul during evening prayers on August 17, 2022.
Context:
Full Fact→ Snoring doesn’t mean you’re eligible for £156 benefits a week
Many different news sites have published articles claiming that snoring could mean you're entitled to Personal Independence Payments.
Logically→ 5G networks can be used to detonate lithium battery-powered electric vehicles.
Context:
Logically→ Jammu & Kashmir Police thrashed a group of Rajasthani men for raising pro-Pakistan slogans.
An old video from 2020 of Delhi Police beating up Muslim men during the Delhi riots has been falsely shared as Jammu & Kashmir Police hitting men.
Logically→ Collective radiation from cell phones strong enough to make popcorn
The video of cell phone radiation popping popcorn was part of a marketing campaign by Cardo company. These radiations are not hazardous to humans.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: France 2 Did NOT Intentionally Misinform Viewers About War Incident In Ukraine On August 10, 2022 — It Admitted A Video Editing Mistake
Did France 2 intentionally misinform its audiences about an incident in the war in Ukraine on August 10, 2022? No, that's not true: The French TV channel's report about a strike that hit buildings surrounding Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclea
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Aborted Fetus Kidney Cells NOT Used In Popular Food Products by Pepsi, Kraft, Nestlé, Campbell’s
Are kidney cells from aborted human fetuses used in popular food products? No, that's not true: The false claim is based on the use of HEK 293 cells in taste research by the Senomyx company, which was purchased by Firmenich in 2018. The l
Snopes→ Is Disney World Removing Cinderella Castle?
According to an online rumor, Disney World was going to demolish the iconic Cinderella Castle sometime following the end of the Florida park's 50th anniversary.
Snopes→ Photo of Courteney Cox ‘Without Makeup’ Is Fake
If this was an episode of the old "Friends" TV show, it would probably be titled, "The One with Monica's Fake Selfie."
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: NO Evidence ‘Chief Justice John Robert’ Was Arrested As Of August 23, 2022
Was "Chief Justice John Robert" arrested as of August 23, 2022? No, that's not true: The caption in this post is clickbait. There is no publicly available evidence to substantiate the claim, the accompanying video does not mention such an
Snopes→ Texas Woman Claims She Was Drugged by Napkin Stuffed in Car Door Handle
The Houston-area salon owner was reportedly out to dinner for her birthday.
Snopes→ These 2 Photos of Trump Golfing ‘Without Makeup’ Are Fake
At least two pictures shot at the LIV Golf Invitational in July 2022 were altered to make the former president appear much older.
PolitiFact→ Instagram posts – No, the number of new IRS workers won’t surpass number of police detectives
"Biden is adding more IRS agents to investigate your taxes than we have detectives investigating every crime in the country.”
Snopes→ Does this Photo Authentically Show a Whale Alongside a Boat?
Blue whales are believed to be the largest animals to have ever lived.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: This Is NOT Real ‘Banned Book List’ From Florida
Does Florida have a banned books list that includes such books as "To Kill a Mockingbird," "The Handmaid's Tale" and "1984"? No, that's not true: There is no banned books list at the state level in Florida because such disputes about scho
PolitiFact→ Ben Kral – NC trooper wrong about violent crime hitting record high
“Violent crime (is) at an all-time high."
PolitiFact→ Tom Cotton – Tom Cotton misleads on how Inflation Reduction Act will impact size of IRS, taxes
The Inflation Reduction Act "doubles the size of the IRS, raises your taxes and spends billions on a green energy slush fund."
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Louisiana Withholding Flood Funding from New Orleans’ in Abortion Disagreement
On August 22 2022, an Imgur account shared a screenshot of the following tweet, which claimed that the state of Louisiana was withholding flood funding from New Orleans in an abortion-related disagreement — just as the anniversary of 2005’
Snopes→ Paul Pelosi Gets 5 Days in Jail, 3 Years of Probation in DUI
The husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pleaded guilty to misdemeanor driving under the influence charges related to a May crash in California's wine country.
Snopes→ Former Louisville Cop Pleads Guilty in Breonna Taylor Case
A former Louisville police detective who helped write the warrant that led to the deadly police raid at Breonna Taylor's apartment has pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge.
Snopes→ Is Barbie’s Real Name ‘Barbara’?
The famed doll’s name came from a real person.
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Melanin Is NOT Used In Computer Chips
Is the pigment melanin used in computer chips? No, that's not true: Researchers are coming closer to developing superconducting melanin, but the work is confined to laboratories and the applications are not considered for use in computer
FactCheck.org→ Social Media Posts Falsely Claim Magic Johnson Donated Blood for People with COVID-19
SciCheck Digest In a 2012 documentary, Magic Johnson discussed his HIV diagnosis and how it has affected his career. Social media posts are sharing an image from the documentary to falsely claim it shows Johnson donating blood for people with COVID-19.
Snopes→ NWSL Final to be Televised Nationally During Prime Time
The National Women’s Soccer League title game will be aired nationally in prime time for the first time in the league’s history.
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘TIL Astronaut Jack Schmidt Discovered He Was Allergic to Moon Dust, Which Is a Thing….’
On August 23 2022, a Reddit account shared a screenshot to r/tumblr which suggested that astronaut Jack Schmidt discovered he was allergic to moon dust during a lunar expedition in 1972: Moon’s an allergen from tumblr A
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Government Did NOT Release Photos Of UFOs And Aliens — Images Created With AI-Powered Tool
Did the government release classified photos of UFOs and aliens? No, that's not true: This collection of images made in a vintage "Top Secret" style, showing purported alien autopsies and UFO crash sites were produced by the designer Doug
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: NO Evidence Liquid Chlorophyll Heals Acne On Skin
Does liquid chlorophyll heal acne on the skin? No, that's not true: The director of clinical trials for the dermatology department of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center told Lead Stories that no data from clinical trials support