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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Musk’s Starlink Was Not Connected to Vote Tabulation, Contrary to Online Claims

Musk’s Starlink Was Not Connected to Vote Tabulation, Contrary to Online Claims

Elon Musk’s Starlink system helped provide internet access to communities affected by the recent hurricanes. But online posts spread baseless claims that Starlink “uploaded votes in swing states” and helped Donald Trump win the election. Experts said voting machines are not connected to the internet during tabulation; one state election official called the claims “utter garbage.”

No Evidence Harris Campaign Paid for Celebrity Endorsements

No Evidence Harris Campaign Paid for Celebrity Endorsements

Vice President Kamala Harris received many celebrity endorsements leading up to the election, including from Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, Eminem, Megan Thee Stallion and Lizzo. Social media posts have made the unfounded claim that these celebrities were collectively paid $20 million for their endorsements. We’ve found no evidence to support the claim.

Can Trump Serve a Third Term?

Can Trump Serve a Third Term?

President-elect Donald Trump, who will return to office for a second term on Jan. 20, 2025, recently reignited a constitutional debate about whether a twice-elected president can serve a third term.

Musk Did Not Ban Stephen King from X, Contrary to Online Claims

Musk Did Not Ban Stephen King from X, Contrary to Online Claims

Social media posts falsely claim that Elon Musk banned author Stephen King from X, the social media platform owned by Musk. The rumor that King was banned originated on a satirical website. King’s X account remains active, and he used it on Nov. 13 to debunk the claim.

Posts Falsely Claim CBS News Reported ‘Cheating’ in Election

Posts Falsely Claim CBS News Reported ‘Cheating’ in Election

Some social media posts falsely claimed that CBS News reported there was “cheating” in the 2024 presidential election that benefitted President-elect Donald Trump. We found no evidence of such a report, and a CBS News spokesperson said the outlet “did not report or say there was cheating in the election.”

Both Sides Distort Incomplete Vote Counts to Falsely Suggest Election Fraud

Both Sides Distort Incomplete Vote Counts to Falsely Suggest Election Fraud

Ballots were still being counted in the days following the 2024 election, but a claim that there was a suspicious gap of 15 million to 20 million votes as compared with the 2020 election has been circulating on social media. There is no such large gap — states were still counting their ballots — and even if there are fewer votes for the Democratic candidate than there were four years ago, that doesn’t prove fraud.

Trump’s New York Case: What Happens Now?

Trump’s New York Case: What Happens Now?

Q: What will happen in Donald Trump’s New York state criminal case now that he is president-elect?

A: Trump is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 26, but the judge could decide that sentencing is no longer appropriate. If Trump does receive a sentence, it could be appealed, or the judgment could be deferred until 2029, when Trump would be out of office.

Google’s ‘Where to Vote’ Search Result Reflects Quirk of Candidate Surname, Not Bias

Google’s ‘Where to Vote’ Search Result Reflects Quirk of Candidate Surname, Not Bias

Social media users alleged bias against former President Donald Trump when a Google search on Election Day for “where to vote” returned an interactive map to find a person’s polling station when including the word “Harris” but not “Trump.” The reason is because “Harris” is a county in Texas, whereas “Trump” is not a location.

Raskin Didn’t Say He ‘Won’t Be Certifying the Election’

Raskin Didn’t Say He ‘Won’t Be Certifying the Election’

Social media users have spread a quote attributed to Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin, claiming he said “we won’t be certifying the election” if former President Donald Trump wins. Raskin responded, saying the quote is “100% fabricated” and that “America is having a free and fair election and Congress will certify the winner.” The origin of the posts appears to be a misleading account of Raskin’s comments in February.

Trump Makes Unsupported Claim About ‘Massive CHEATING’ in Philadelphia

Trump Makes Unsupported Claim About ‘Massive CHEATING’ in Philadelphia

Former President Donald Trump posted to social media an unsupported claim about “massive CHEATING” in Philadelphia, which he claimed had drawn the attention of law enforcement. The Philadelphia Police Department, the Philadelphia district attorney, a Republican city council member and the Pennsylvania Department of State all refuted the claim.