On July 18 2020, a rumor began spreading on “WitchTok” (a TikTok witch community) that a group of “baby witches” endeavored to “hex the moon” and “hex the fae,” setting off moral panics and fevered discu
Search Results (5295) for: home
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘State of Illinois Definition of a COVID-19 Death’
In July 2020, social media users continued spinning a remark by a top health official in Illinois to claim that death tolls attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic have been inflated around the United States — and to attempt to sow doubt around the
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: ‘Black Kid’ Suspect In Assault On Elderly White Couple Was NOT Arrested ‘Yesterday’ — Crime Was Eight Years Ago, Suspect Is Doing Life in Prison
Was a "black kid named Tyrone Woodfork" arrested "yesterday" for severely beating an elderly Tulsa, Oklahoma, white couple, raping and killing the wife and leaving the husband for dead -- and is the national media ignoring the crime? No, that'
FactCheck.org→ Video Doesn’t Show Biden Hosting ‘Black Face Skit’
Quick Take A video clip of Joe Biden jokingly introducing a Black singer at a 1985 fundraiser as “Michael Jackson” has been manipulated and shared with a false claim that Biden was participating in a “black face” skit. Full St
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Stop What You Are Doing Google Who Invented Blow Up Dolls Right Now’
On July 16 2020 the Facebook page Memes Republic commanded its followers stop whatever they were doing and “Google who invented blow up dolls” immediately: The post rapidly racked up shares, nearing 60,000 in under 24 hours. So what hap
Full Fact→ Mask graphic contains a number of inaccuracies
A graphic on Facebook has made a number of claims about how Covid-19 spreads. It says: “You can not catch Covid-19 from person to person. You can not catch Covid-19 from touching surfaces. Viruses are dead material expelled from healing cells. E
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: The CDC DOES Recommend Buying And Using Face Masks, Even If You Are Healthy
Did Delaware Health and Social Services produce an infographic flyer that stated, "If you are healthy, the CDC does not recommend buying or using face masks"? Yes, this is a real flyer, but it is outdated advice that was revised after COVID-19
FactCheck.org→ Trump’s Numbers July 2020 Update
Editor’s Note: This update is the first to reflect substantial economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many statistics in our April update were collected before much of the economy was shut down to slow the spread of the virus. Summary The COVID-1
Health Feedback→ Infant deaths did not decrease during the pandemic due to a reduced use of vaccines; vaccines are not associated with sudden infant death syndrome
REVIEW An article published by Health Choice which suggests a link between infant deaths and vaccination has been republished by outlets known for opposing vaccines, such as Children’s Health Defense. The original article has received more than 14
Health Feedback→ Infant deaths did not decrease during the pandemic due to a reduced use of vaccines; vaccines are not associated with sudden infant death syndrome
REVIEW An article published by Health Choice which suggests a link between infant deaths and vaccination has been republished by outlets known for opposing vaccines, such as Children’s Health Defense. The original article has received more than 14
FactCheck.org→ Trump Distorts Biden’s Immigration Plans
In remarks in the White House Rose Garden on July 14, President Donald Trump falsely described many of the immigration recommendations drafted by allies of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his vanquished rival Sen. Bernie Sande
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: U.S. Coin Shortage NOT A Conspiracy To Create Cashless Society
Is the coin shortage in the United States a conspiracy to create a cashless society as part of a "NWO" (New World Order)? No, it is not. There is a simple explanation for the low number of coins currently in circulation, and it is linked to CO
Full Fact→ What is the guidance on face coverings and how has it changed?
Face coverings are set to become mandatory in all shops in England on 24 July and those who refuse risk a £100 fine or being refused service. In England, it is already mandatory to wear face coverings on public transport and in hospitals. D
The Dispatch→ What Has Dr. Fauci Said Publicly About the Widespread Protests?
a.image2.image-link.image2-683-1024 { padding-bottom: 66.69921875%; padding-bottom: min(66.69921875%, 683px); width: 100%; height: 0; } a.image2.image-link.image2-683-1024 i
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Cyntoia Brown Is NOT Still In Prison
Is Cyntoia Brown, who was sentenced to life in prison for killing a man when she was 16, not eligible for parole until she is 69? No, that's not true: Brown is no longer behind bars. She was released on August 7, 2019, after being granted clem
Health Feedback→ Nasopharyngeal swabs more effective than saliva samples for COVID-19 diagnostic testing according to current evidence
REVIEW This 8 July 2020 Facebook post suggests that at-home testing for COVID-19 using mouth swabs, such as those used to collect DNA samples, could be just as effective as the nasopharyngeal swab method. Earlier versions of the claim questioned the
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Dr. Kelly Victory’s ‘COVID Facts’ Video Includes Many Claims That Are NOT Facts
Does a video by Dr. Kelly Victory that promises to discuss "COVID facts" deliver all factual claims? No, that's not true: Lead Stories identified at least 10 "facts" that are false, including claims that children are at "virtually no risk" fro
Truth or Fiction?→ The #FreeBritney Movement, Explained
In July 10 2020, a Facebook post appeared about the #FreeBritney movement (evidently aimed at liberating Britney Spears), becoming hugely popular within just a few days: The Text of the Post The post — which was lengthy and full of de
AllSides→ No evidence linking Wayfair to human trafficking operation
https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-wayfair-human-trafficking/fact-check-no-evidence-linking-wayfair-to-human-trafficking-operation-idUSKCN24E2M2
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: 15-Year-Old Orphan Did NOT Invent ‘Cost Free Air Con’ That Destroyed The $15-Billion Air Conditioning Industry
Did a 15-year-old orphan boy named Billy from Albuquerque invent a "cost free" air conditioner that "destroyed" the $15-billion air conditioning industry? No, that's not true: A marketing video making the claim is edited from an unrelated vide
AllSides→ Fight Fake News
https://faculty.lsu.edu/fakenews/protect_yourself/fight-fake-news.php Fighting fake news is not only ab
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Betsy DeVos Say ‘Only .02 Percent’ of Students Would Die if Schools Reopened?
On July 11 2020, the following tweet claimed that the United States Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos — in the course of arguing in favor of reopening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic — asserted that “only 0.02 percent” of
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Dave Ramsey Warn Against a Cashless Society Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic?
In early July 2020, posts attributed to financial pundit Dave Ramsey on the subject of what “no cash” or what having a “cashless society actually means” began circulating: Dave Ramsey repost HERES WHAT NO CASH ACTUALLY MEANS:
Truth or Fiction?→ Is a Texas Doctor Curing COVID-19 Patients For $50?
A Texas doctor’s claim that he has cured more than 75 patients for COVID-19 for no more than $50 spread widely around Facebook and YouTube before apparently being removed from both platforms. Dr. Brian Procter first drew attention through a phot
Truth or Fiction?→ Richard Rose Dies of COVID-19, After Repeated ‘COVID Denier’ Posts
On July 10 2020, a number of Facebook users shared posts like the one below — purportedly screenshots from the profile of a user, Richard Rose, who initially adopted the position of a “COVID denier” before dying from it on July 4 202
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: No Evidence Wayfair Is Selling Human Trafficked Children On Their Website With Very Expensive Cabinets
Was Wayfair selling human trafficked children via postings for very expensive cabinets on their sales website? No, there is no evidence to support the claim and plenty of evidence to dispute it. A Reddit user claimed that overpriced cabinets w
Full Fact→ Did the government meet its Covid-19 test targets?
At the time of writing, 11.5 million tests for Covid-19 have been carried out or posted in the UK. Since March, the government has invited the country to judge its progress on these tests by announcing measurable targets. We have written about so
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Soros Was NOT Taken Into Custody for Crimes Against America
Was George Soros taken into custody for crimes against America? No, that's not true: This is a fictional story from a network of satire websites. The article was designed to trick people who do not read the whole article, who share or comment
Full Fact→ Government issues contradictory advice on travel quarantine
“If your mother arrived in the UK from one of the exempt countries, then she can stop quarantining on the 10th July.” Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice on Twitter, 10 July 2020 “Self-isolation is subject to current legal
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: That Heart-Wrenching Photo You ‘Need’ To Share Is Likely A Malware Scam
Did no one want to share the birthday photo of this grandmother on her 120th birthday? Or the one of that baby with the handicap? Or the dead mother? No, that's not true: these kinds of deceptive stories are often a ruse with the sole purpose
FactCheck.org→ NextGen Climate Action/NextGen America
Political leanings: Democratic 2018 total spending: $63.8 million NextGen Climate Action Committee, a super PAC, and NextGen America, a 501(c)(4), were founded in 2013 by San Francisco billionaire and climate-change activist Tom Steyer, who ran unsuc
Truth or Fiction?→ Why Is the Coronavirus Test So Invasive? Would a Cheek Swab Work?
On July 7 2020, Facebook user David D Smith shared the following post, questioning why coronavirus testing was so invasive, particularly when compared to DNA test cheek swabs: Smith included a shiver-inducing image but no citations, writing:
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: China Is NOT Putting California Garlic Growers Out Of Business
Is China putting California garlic growers out of business? No, that's not true. The amount of garlic the United States imports from China has gone down for the past four years, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. The cla
Full Fact→ New data reveals PM’s testing speeds claims as wrong
“We already turn around 90% of tests within 48 hours. The tests conducted at the 199 testing centres, as well as the mobile test centres, are all done within 24 hours, and I can undertake to him now to get all tests turned around in 24 hours by
Truth or Fiction?→ ‘Ghislaine Maxwell Was Arrested by the FBI, Can We Talk About How Similar She Looks to Madeleine McCann’s Female Abductor Sketch’?
On July 3 2020, just after British socialite Ghislane Maxwell was arrested, the Facebook page “NightMerica Podcast” shared the following post, comparing her photograph with a purported sketch of “Madeleine McCann’s female abdu
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Kansas City Chiefs’ Clark Hunt Did NOT Threaten To Fire Players And Staff If They Don’t Stand For The National Anthem
Did Kansas City Chief's boss Clark Hunt threaten to fire players and staff if they do not stand for the national anthem? No, that's not true: This is a made-up statement that has been falsely attributed to the CEO and part-owner of the NFL tea
Truth or Fiction?→ Did Carsyn Davis Die After Attending a ‘COVID Party’?
In early July 2020, news of the death of Florida teenager Carsyn Leigh Davis began spreading on social media — alongside rumors the girl, who was purportedly medically fragile, was intentionally exposed to SARS-CoV-2 by her mother: A parent se
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: This Is NOT A Photo Of Aracely Henriquez, A Woman Robbed By George Floyd In 2007
Did George Floyd brutally beat Aracely Henriquez during a home invasion robbery, and is this a photo of her injuries? No, neither is true: This is a photo of Andrea Sicignano, an American student who was raped in December of 2018 while studyin
Truth or Fiction?→ LAPD ‘14188’ Badge Number Controversy
On July 3 2020, Twitter user Hayes Davenport shared a screenshot of a purported Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) example badge web page, featuring a badge with the number 14188: Unfortunate sample badge number choice in my opinion pic.twitter.co
Lead Stories→ Fact Check: Dr. Rashid Buttar Video Does NOT Prove ‘Everyone Could Test Positive’ for Coronavirus And ‘Hardly Anybody’ Has Died From COVID-19
Is it true that "everyone could test positive" for the novel coronavirus that has ravaged the United States and world? And is it true that hardly anyone has died of the disease COVID-19 caused by the virus? No, neither is true. If you just loo