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.
A viral video misrepresents scientific papers and the reasons for wearing face masks to claim that they are ineffective in mitigating transmission of COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that masks may help prevent the spread of the disease.
A popular post on social media pages for conspiracy theorists claims that a mobile COVID-19 testing station bears a logo that depicts an ancient deity of death. It actually shows an aardvark, which is the name of the company that designs and manufactures the trucks.
Viral posts on Facebook falsely claim the government has approved a second round of coronavirus stimulus payments to everyone who signs up — and that the money will be forthcoming in “5-7 business days.” Congress is considering another economic package, but a new round of support has not been passed.
A video clip of Joe Biden jokingly introducing a Black singer at a 1985 fundraiser as “Michael Jackson” has been manipulated and shared with a false claim that Biden was participating in a “black face” skit.
An image circulating on social media claims to show former President Barack Obama, Dr. Anthony Fauci and Melinda Gates at the “Wuhan lab in 2015.” The photo was actually taken at the National Institutes of Health campus in Maryland — and Melinda Gates is not in the picture.
Social media posts claim that Betsy DeVos said “only” 0.02% of children are “likely to die” of COVID-19 from schools reopening in the fall. There’s no evidence she ever said that.
A viral video falsely labeled “Registered Republican Not Allowed to Vote!” suggests that Republicans were kept from voting in Louisiana’s recent primary. The person featured in the video — which has been viewed millions of times — was actually registered as a Democrat, so she couldn’t vote in the closed Republican primary.
A “face mask exempt card” shared on social media invokes the Americans with Disabilities Act and claims to excuse people from wearing face masks. But the group behind the card — “Freedom to Breathe Agency” — is not a government agency, and federal officials say the ADA “does not provide a blanket exemption” from requirements to wear masks.
Social media posts falsely claim that Ghislaine Maxwell, the associate of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, is the sister of Dr. Christine Grady, Dr. Anthony Fauci’s wife. Maxwell and Grady are not siblings.
Donald Trump Jr. has shared a viral meme that makes the unsupported claim that a statue of abolitionist leader Frederick Douglass in Rochester, New York, was torn down by “Democrats.” Police have made no arrests, and are “still looking into” who committed the vandalism.