A viral story shared on social media is falsely claiming that Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged with killing George Floyd, committed suicide in his prison cell.
Officer Charged in Floyd’s Death Hasn’t Committed Suicide
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.
Baseless Conspiracy Theory Claims Floyd Case Was ‘Staged’
Viral text posts are advancing the groundless claim that George Floyd’s arrest and death in Minneapolis were “staged” to incite “racial tensions.” But they offer no evidence to support that conspiracy theory.
Minneapolis Police License Plate Doesn’t Raise a ‘False Flag’
Social media posts incorrectly claim that Minneapolis police license plates “dont say POLICE,” and that proves the death of George Floyd was a planned event. Actually, many police vehicles in Minneapolis have that license plate.
Viral Photos Don’t Show Minneapolis Officer in Floyd Case
Politically charged social media posts have wrongly identified pictures as showing the Minneapolis police officer who was seen kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, who died shortly after. The two photos circulating do not show the officer, Derek Chauvin.
Year-Old Biden Spoof Emerges Anew
A year-old video spoof that manipulated a television interview to make former Vice President Joe Biden appear incoherent recently has been circulating on social media. But many of those who are posting the video have not disclosed that it was edited and intended as satire.
COVID-19 Isn’t Caused by Bacteria
False information that claims COVID-19 is caused by a bacteria and can be easily treated started spreading by text message, and is now viral on social media. Actually, COVID-19 is caused by a virus and there is no treatment for it.
Obama’s Criticism Didn’t Set a Presidential Precedent
A meme circulating on Facebook — and retweeted by President Donald Trump — falsely claims former President Barack Obama is the “first ex-president to speak against [his] successor.” Actually, many U.S. leaders criticized those who followed them into the White House.
Posts Spread Fake Trump Memorial Day Tweet
Facebook users are circulating a fake screenshot of a supposed tweet from President Donald Trump, which purportedly praises his own “sacrifices” in recognition of Memorial Day. Trump never posted the tweet in question.
Fauci Didn’t Invent, Won’t Profit from Remdesivir
A viral social media post falsely claims Dr. Anthony Fauci is “pushing” remdesivir as a potential COVID-19 treatment drug, because he “invented” it with Bill Gates and they stand to profit from it. Remdesivir was invented by the pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, which receives any profit from sales of the drug as a treatment for COVID-19.
Flu Shot Doesn’t Cause False Positive Results for COVID-19
A viral claim on Facebook erroneously tells users that “you will test positive” for COVID-19 if “you’ve gotten flu shots during the past ten years.” Vaccine and infectious disease experts told us that’s false, and the Food and Drug Administration says this hasn’t been observed in any authorized tests.