Facebook Twitter Tumblr Close Skip to main content
A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Fake AOC Tweet Politicizes COVID-19 Business Restrictions

Fake AOC Tweet Politicizes COVID-19 Business Restrictions

A fabricated tweet attributed to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez advocates extending COVID-19 restrictions on businesses “until after the November Elections.” There is no evidence Ocasio-Cortez sent the bogus tweet, which was shared — and later deleted — by a Florida congressional candidate and a Fox News host.

Trump Campaign Didn’t Advertise for ‘MINORITY Actors’ in Tulsa

Trump Campaign Didn’t Advertise for ‘MINORITY Actors’ in Tulsa

Posts on social media cite an anonymous Craigslist ad to support the false claim that President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign is seeking “MINORITY Actors” to hold signs at his June 20 rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Trump campaign says it didn’t post the ad, and Craigslist has removed it.

Meme Spreads Wrong Photo, Details in Floyd Criminal Case

Meme Spreads Wrong Photo, Details in Floyd Criminal Case

A meme misrepresents a 2007 criminal case in Houston involving George Floyd. The meme distorts the details of Floyd’s case and includes a photo of a woman who was badly injured in an unrelated attack in Spain in 2018.

Statue in Lincoln Memorial Was Not Defaced by Protesters

Statue in Lincoln Memorial Was Not Defaced by Protesters

A meme is spreading a doctored image of the Lincoln Memorial covered in graffiti to falsely claim that protesters defaced the Lincoln statue. The image was taken from a thumbnail for a video on the conservative website the Daily Wire and shared as if real.

Viral Posts Share Old, Edited White House Photo in Dark

Viral Posts Share Old, Edited White House Photo in Dark

Across social media, posts falsely claim to show a picture of the White House in the dark — purportedly “for the first time” in history — as protesters marched outside on May 31. But the image is actually from 2014 and was edited to appear darker.

Two Former Officers Involved in Floyd’s Death Are Not In-Laws

Two Former Officers Involved in Floyd’s Death Are Not In-Laws

Contrary to social media posts, Kellie Chauvin, the estranged wife of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged in the death of George Floyd, is not the sister of Tou Thao, another former officer involved in the events that led to Floyd’s death, according to Kellie Chauvin’s lawyer.

COVID-19 Isn’t Caused by Bacteria

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

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.