Eight Republicans kicked off the 2024 presidential election debates in Milwaukee.
FactChecking the First GOP Debate
Stories by Hadleigh Zinsner
Former Undergraduate Fellow, FactCheck.org
Social Media Posts Misrepresent Kamala Harris Error
While announcing an investment in clean energy programs, Vice President Kamala Harris mistakenly said “reduce population” when she meant “reduce pollution.” Online posts shared a video of the gaffe and misleadingly claimed “her goal is to reduce population to fight climate change.” The transcript of her remarks shows the mistake and corrects it.
Social Media Posts Fabricate DeSantis High School Yearbook Quote
Earlier this year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ high school yearbook photo was posted to Reddit by a person claiming to be a former schoolmate. But Instagram posts show an altered version of the yearbook entry that includes a fake quote from DeSantis referencing rapper Sir Mix-a-Lot and Nintendo 64.
Viral Posts Distort Greta Thunberg Tweet Warning About Climate Change
A Harvard University professor warned in 2018 that steps were needed over the next five years to reduce carbon pollution to preserve Arctic ice. Climate activist Greta Thunberg then shared a tweet that misquoted the professor. But recent social media posts have distorted Thunberg’s tweet to falsely claim she predicted human extinction by 2023.