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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Debunking Viral Claims

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.

FBI Access Request Is Not Evidence White House ‘Lied’ About Not Being ‘Involved’ in ‘Mar-a-Lago Raid’

FBI Access Request Is Not Evidence White House ‘Lied’ About Not Being ‘Involved’ in ‘Mar-a-Lago Raid’
April 18, 2023

There’s no evidence the White House aided or had prior knowledge of the FBI’s search of Mar-a-Lago in August 2022. By law, the White House requested access for the FBI to review the classified documents that former President Donald Trump turned over seven months earlier. That doesn’t mean the White House was “involved” in the “raid” that came later and “lied” about it, as a conservative commentator claimed.

Bogus Claim Targets Bud Light Partnership with Transgender Influencer

Bogus Claim Targets Bud Light Partnership with Transgender Influencer
April 14, 2023

Bud Light partnered with a transgender social media influencer for a promotion during the NCAA March Madness tournament. Social media users responded with the false claim that the CEO of the company had resigned following a conservative backlash to the partnership. The claim originated in a fabricated article on a satirical website.

Fewer Cases of Flu Due to Pandemic Precautions, Contrary to Viral Claim

Fewer Cases of Flu Due to Pandemic Precautions, Contrary to Viral Claim
April 14, 2023

Public health organizations have explained that the reason there were far fewer cases of the flu in 2020 and 2021 was likely due to measures adopted to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, such as handwashing and social distancing. But a post on social media has spread the false claim that the dip in flu cases suggests that COVID-19 was a hoax.

Posts Make Misleading Claims About Bill to Protect LGBTQ+ Events in Ontario

Posts Make Misleading Claims About Bill to Protect LGBTQ+ Events in Ontario
April 10, 2023

Four members of a minority party in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario introduced a bill on April 4 that would create temporary community safety zones around drag performance venues to prevent “acts of intimidation.” But online posts misleadingly claimed Canada has already passed a law that “made it illegal to protest against” the LGBTQ+ community.

Posts Distort Possible Sentencing for Trump in Manhattan Indictment

Posts Distort Possible Sentencing for Trump in Manhattan Indictment
April 7, 2023

Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on April 4 to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records to conceal alleged hush money payments. Social media posts misleadingly claim Trump is “facing up to 30+ years” in prison if convicted. But legal experts said it is unlikely Trump would serve any time in prison.

Biden’s 2022 Remarks Not Related to Trump Indictment, Contrary to Online Posts

Biden’s 2022 Remarks Not Related to Trump Indictment, Contrary to Online Posts
April 6, 2023

Social media posts and former President Donald Trump are sharing an edited video of President Joe Biden to make the unfounded claim that Biden “is coordinating these Trump indictments.” Biden’s comments, made in 2022, were related to international concerns about American democracy, not Trump’s legal battles.

Early Release of ‘QAnon Shaman’ Due to Plea and Prison Protocols, Contrary to Online Claims

Early Release of ‘QAnon Shaman’ Due to Plea and Prison Protocols, Contrary to Online Claims
April 5, 2023

Jacob Chansley, also known as the “QAnon Shaman,” was sentenced to 41 months in prison for participating in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, but he was released early to a halfway house on March 28 because of his plea agreement and prison protocols. Social media posts falsely claim that his release was due to videos shown by Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson.

Posts on Social Media Use Different Photos of Fetterman to Boost Bogus Claim

Posts on Social Media Use Different Photos of Fetterman to Boost Bogus Claim
March 30, 2023

Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman has been hospitalized since Feb. 15 for treatment of depression, an aftereffect of a stroke. Social media posts use two photos of Fetterman — taken years apart — to falsely claim the Democrats are using a body double for Fetterman. Differences in the photos are due to camera focal lengths and lenses, experts said.

Old Hoax Shows Up in Posts About Nashville School Shooter

Old Hoax Shows Up in Posts About Nashville School Shooter
March 29, 2023

False claims about the shooter at a Christian elementary school in Nashville have been swirling on social media. Police shot and killed the suspect, whom they identified as 28-year-old Audrey Elizabeth Hale. The person was not named “Samantha Hyde” — a reference to a long-running internet hoax.