FactCheck.org is one of several organizations working with Facebook to debunk misinformation shared on the social media network. We provide several resources for readers: a guide on how to flag suspicious stories on Facebook and a list of websites that have carried false or satirical articles, as well as a video and story on how to spot false stories.
Q: Were illegal voters bused in to Alabama to swing the election to Doug Jones? Were thousands of fraudulent votes recorded for him?
A: Those claims were made by self-described “satirical” websites. The Alabama Secretary of State says there’s no evidence that fraudulent voting affected the outcome.
Q: Is Rep. Nancy Pelosi planning to step down amid sexual harassment allegations?
A: No. There have been no such claims made publicly against Pelosi.
Q: Did voters in Alabama’s special Senate election get “caught voting multiple times with fake IDs”?
A: No. The Alabama Secretary of State’s office has received no such report.
Q: Did Roy Moore accusers “Mary Lynne Davies” and “Harley Hannah” lie? Did Beverly Young Nelson admit she “forged” a yearbook message from Moore?
A: No. The first two names are not among Moore’s accusers. And Nelson said she added a date and location to a yearbook message written by Moore.
Q: Did Kevin Bacon say that “we are blessed to have Donald Trump as our president”?
A: No. Several quotes supporting Trump have been falsely attributed to the actor.
Q: Is Sharia law now in effect in Utah and other U.S. states?
A: No. Two stories circulating online falsely claim that various American courts have instituted Sharia.
Q: Was Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke photographed with a dead elephant?
A: No. He was falsely identified in a photo that was widely shared on Facebook.
Q: Has Canada passed a law that would allow parents to euthanize disabled children?
A: No. Canada’s physician-assisted death law applies only to adults if they are mentally capable of making such a decision.
Q: Has the Food and Drug Administration announced that vaccines cause autism?
A: No. FDA statements are grounded in scientific evidence. There is no evidence that vaccination is linked to autism.
Q: Did President Donald Trump shut down a service dog training program for veterans?
A: No. Walter Reed National Military Medical Center ended its contract with the program and told us that the president was not a factor.