REVIEW In late March 2021, the claim that Jamaica hadn’t experienced cases of COVID-19 circulated on Facebook. The COVID-19 situation in the Caribbean island was rarely featured in large international news outlets, which may have led people to bel
Logically→ The UK Government will fine people £5000 for holidaying abroad from 29 March 2021.
The new legislation will fine people for leaving the UK for leisure activities from 29 March onwards.
Snopes→ Do Homeless People Have Access to COVID-19 Stimulus Payments?
Most Americans will receive $1,400, one-time payments as part of the March 2021 federal relief bill.
Logically→ AIMIM is not contesting in the West Bengal assembly polls 2021.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi confirmed that his party will be participating in the West Bengal election and the seats will be revealed on March 27.
Logically→ Army Combat Fitness Test scores will be given based on gender to account for fitness differences.
Although the U.S. Army currently has a gender-neutral scoring system for performance, it plans to place men and women on separate assessment scales.
Snopes→ Was Lindsey Graham Just Photographed with Geert Wilders?
Wilders is a far-right politician from the Netherlands.
Snopes→ Gun in Colorado Grocery Store Shooting Bought 6 Days Earlier
The suspect in the Boulder supermarket shootings bought the assault rifle six days before the shooting where 10 people were killed, including a police officer, according to an arrest affidavit.
Logically→ Cancer patients can fully recover from the disease by regularly drinking hot coconut water.
There is no scientific evidence to back the theory that drinking hot coconut water can cure cancer.
AFP Fact Check→ Keto weight loss pill not endorsed by ‘Shark Tank’ show judges
Facebook ads viewed more than 100,000 times claim that a keto diet pill is endorsed by every judge on the long-running business reality show “Shark Tank.” This is false; one of the judges called the ads “fake” and said neither she nor the other
Full Fact→ What’s the deal with NHS pay rises?
“Nurses are in line for a bigger pay rise than the widely-criticised one per cent.“Many staff will actually get a 1.7 per cent increase to their wages this year thanks to a deal previously agreed by the Government.” Daily Mail, 12 M
Full Fact→ Covid-19 vaccine exports and the UK
A viral tweet claims that the EU has exported 41.6 million vaccines, mostly to the UK, while the US and UK have exported none. A screenshot of the tweet has also been spreading on Facebook. This 41.6 million figure and the graph in the image come
Health Feedback→ Tinnitus isn’t a sign of brain death, even though it arises in the brain; no cure for tinnitus currently exists
REVIEW A website named Tinnitus Battle which sells the supplement Tinnitus 911, claimed that the supplement can cure tinnitus. About 1 in 10 adults in the U.S. is affected by tinnitus, a phantom sensation in which people perceive sounds that aren’
Snopes→ Were AR-15s Used in These Mass Shootings?
A viral meme asserted that AR-15 style weapons have frequently been used to commit deadly acts of violence.
Logically→ All India Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien is of Irish ancestry.
In his blogpost, the All India Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien revealed that his great grandfather was Irish.
Logically→ Under the Pradhan Mantra Awas Yojana, more than 24 lakh families received pucca (permanent) houses in West Bengal
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana's progress report revealed the completion of less than three lakh houses in West Bengal until March 2021.
AFP Fact Check→ Anti-lockdown group promotes misleading claims about face masks as ‘fact check’
A Facebook post in South Africa makes several claims about masks, including that they are ineffective in preventing the spread of Covid-19 in the general population and that they inhibit children’s social development. But these allegations are missi
Logically→ The Bihar Education Department has issued a notification announcing school closures until June 15, 2021.
The viral image of a press release stating the closure of schools in Bihar till June 15 is fake and aims to spread confusion.
Logically→ The Bihar Education Department has issued a notification announcing school closures until June 15, 2021.
The viral image of a press release stating the closure of schools in Bihar till June 15 is fake and aims to spread confusion.
Logically→ Donald Trump is launching a new social media platform.
Donald Trump’s spokesperson has confirmed that Trump is returning to social media with his own platform.
AFP Fact Check→ Finishing Trump’s border wall not part of Texas plan
Social media posts claim that Texas’s “Operation Lone Star” is aimed at completing former US president Donald Trump’s controversial Mexico border wall project, which his successor has moved to end. This is false; officials say the operation doe
Logically→ The side-effects of vaccines indicate that the vaccine is working.
While not everyone will experience side effects, they are a sign that an immune response has been triggered in the body.
Snopes→ Report: Extremist Groups Thrive on Facebook Despite Bans
Facebook acknowledged that its policy enforcement “isn't perfect,” but said the report distorts its work against violent extremism and misinformation.
AFP Fact Check→ This digitally-altered image does not show police fleeing attack in southeast Nigeria
A picture of two policemen who appear to be running away from trouble has been shared dozens of times on Facebook, alongside a claim that it shows Nigerian officers fleeing gunmen who attacked their headquarters in southeastern Nigeria. This is false;
Snopes→ US: AstraZeneca May Have Used Outdated Info in Vaccine Trial
Just hours after AstraZeneca reported encouraging results, the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases issued an unusual statement.
Logically→ Prime Minister Narendra Modi developed the COVID-19 vaccine in India.
Pharmaceutical companies and labs have developed the COVID-19 vaccines. The assertion by Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb is incorrect.
Logically→ Prime Minister Narendra Modi developed the COVID-19 vaccine in India.
Pharmaceutical companies and labs have developed the COVID-19 vaccines. The assertion by Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb is incorrect.
Logically→ Prime Minister Narendra Modi developed the COVID-19 vaccine in India.
Pharmaceutical companies and labs have developed the COVID-19 vaccines. The assertion by Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb is incorrect.
AFP Fact Check→ These photos were taken at a funeral home in Kenya in February 2020
Photos have been circulating on social media in Kenya with the claim that the images show security officers stationed at the Lee Funeral Home in Nairobi on March 19, 2021. Some speculated that the heightened security indicated that a prominent official
Poynter→ Here’s where the $1.86T in the COVID-19 relief package goes
There are a few big chunks of money in the American Rescue Plan Act that have generated a lot of news coverage and are pretty well known. In response to a reader’s request, we present the whopping $1.86 trillion spending plan in pie chart form. There
AFP Fact Check→ Papua New Guinea post shares Covid-19 vaccine misinformation
A Facebook post circulating in Papua New Guinea warns that Covid-19 vaccines are being trialled on people in the country and advises them to “stay away from hospital” if they develop symptoms. The post adds that the disease is “just a seasonal f
Health Feedback→ Messenger RNA is essential for life and a normal component of cells; study by researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering is unrelated to RNA vaccines
REVIEW An article published by Natural News on 2 March 2021 claimed that COVID-19 RNA vaccines will cause cancer, as mRNA “can instruct human cells ultimately in the same way as cancer drivers”. The article cited a study published by researchers
Hoax-Slayer→ Scammers Continue to Pose as Powerball Lottery Winner Roy Cockrum
According to this email, Powerball jackpot lottery winner Roy Cockrum has decided to donate part of his winnings to individuals randomly selected via their email addresses. The post Scammers Continue to Pose as Powerball Lottery Winner Roy Cockrum appe
AFP Fact Check→ This video shows an Indonesian prosecutor arrested for corruption in 2016 and is unrelated to the Muslim cleric’s ongoing trial
A video has been viewed tens of thousands of times on Facebook, YouTube and TikTok alongside a claim that it shows an Indonesian prosecutor arrested for taking a bribe in connection to the ongoing court case of a prominent Muslim cleric in Jakarta. Th
Washington Post→ The sometimes-fuzzy $400,000 threshold in Biden’s tax plan
Biden has insisted that nobody making less than $400,000 will face higher taxes, but some officials have suggested that level could apply to families, not individuals.
AFP Fact Check→ AstraZeneca rejects rumours it is planning to sue South Korean media
Facebook posts circulating in March 2021 claim that AstraZeneca is preparing to file a lawsuit against South Korean media outlets for damages. The claim is missing context: the pharmaceutical giant told AFP the claim is groundless and that it has repo
AFP Fact Check→ Hoax Atlanta shooter Facebook post shared online
An image circulating online purports to show a Facebook post urging Americans to “fight back against China” that was allegedly published by a man arrested for a shooting rampage in the US city of Atlanta that left eight people dead, including six w
AFP Fact Check→ These photos show the downing of a Syrian military helicopter in February 2020
Three photos have been shared hundreds of times on Facebook alongside a claim that they show a Myanmar military helicopter that was shot down in March 2021 by the Karen National Union and the Kachin Independence Army, two armed ethic groups in Myanmar.
AFP Fact Check→ These photos show unrelated incidents in Afghanistan, Nigeria and a film scene
Three photos have been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts on Facebook alongside a claim that they show a Myanmar military-owned gas pipeline that was set ablaze by anti-coup protesters. The claim is false; the first and second photos circulated
AFP Fact Check→ Facebook posts misleadingly claim Austria halted its vaccination programme and destroyed all vaccines
Multiple Facebook posts have shared a graphic alongside a claim that Austria has halted its Covid-19 vaccination programme and destroyed all vaccines after the death of a 49-year-old nurse. The claim omits important context: Austria temporarily halted
Snopes→ Police: 10 People Killed at Colorado Supermarket
A shooting at a Colorado supermarket killed 10 people, including a police officer, and a suspect was in custody, authorities said.