Q: Will Mars be “as big as the Moon” on July 27 for the first time in 35,000 years?
A: No. A viral story spreads a repeatedly debunked myth.
Mars, the Moon and a Fictional ‘Cosmic Event’
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.
False Headline Revives Voter Fraud Claim
Q: Did Fox News reveal that President Obama rigged the 2016 election with “4 million illegal votes”?
A: No. That falsehood is based on a pre-election interview with an election lawyer who discussed the possibility of votes being cast on behalf of dead people.
No Evidence Lisa Page Blamed Hacking on China
Q: Did former FBI attorney Lisa Page tell House lawmakers that China, not Russia, was behind the hacking of the Democratic National Committee?
A: There’s no evidence of that. Page’s attorney said stories making that claim are “completely false” and that Page testified that the “evidence demonstrated Russian interference in the election.”
YourNewsWire Hawks False Fraud Headline
Q: Is the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, “facing fraud charges”?
A: No. Two separate cases accuse Puerto Rico officials of misusing government funds, but Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz isn’t involved.
Antifa Crackdown a Proposal, Not Law
Q: Is joining antifa now illegal and “punishable by 15 years in prison”?
A: No. A headline on a website known for distorting news incorrectly describes a House bill. It has not become law and it would not make joining antifa illegal.
Home Explosion Spawns Clinton Conspiracy Theory
Q: Were the victims of a New Jersey home explosion tied to an investigation into the Clinton Foundation?
A: No. A viral conspiracy theory is spreading that claim without any evidence. Investigators told us they “found no evidence of foul play” and that the deaths were ruled “accidental.”
Sen. Harris Didn’t ‘Lie’ About Integration
Q: Was Sen. Kamala Harris “lying” when she tweeted about integration in the Berkeley public schools?
A: No. The school district fully integrated in 1968, and Harris began attending public school in first grade, in 1970.
Facebook Didn’t Hire George Soros
Q: Did Facebook hire George Soros “to remove ‘unwanted’ Conservative content from the platform to better regulate elections”?
A: No. A false story mischaracterizes Soros’ ties to the Atlantic Council, which has partnered with Facebook on an elections integrity project.
Trumped Up Headlines Distort Old Story
Q: Did The New York Times say in 1984 that Donald Trump would be “our best president”?
A: No. That year The New York Times published a magazine story featuring Trump’s early success as a businessman, not his political potential.
Partisan Websites Spin Mexican Campaign Rhetoric
Q: Did the front-runner in the presidential race in Mexico call for an “invasion” of migrants to the U.S.?
A: No. Andrés Manuel López Obrador pledged to “defend migrants … who of necessity have to leave their villages.”