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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Meme Recycles Conspiracy Theory on California Wildfires

Meme Recycles Conspiracy Theory on California Wildfires

A baseless conspiracy theory on Facebook suggests that the California wildfires were started by a “powerful laser.” The meme spreading the theory uses the same photos that circulated in 2018 to advance a similar claim.

More False Mail-In Ballot Claims from Trump

More False Mail-In Ballot Claims from Trump

California will send every registered voter in the state a mail-in ballot for the November general election. But President Donald Trump falsely said, on Twitter and at the White House, that the ballots would go to “anyone living in the state, no matter who they are or how they got there” and “people that aren’t citizens.”

Trump Misrepresents Google Coronavirus Website

Trump Misrepresents Google Coronavirus Website

President Donald Trump and other officials misleadingly suggested that tech behemoth Google was working on a screening website that large numbers of Americans could use to see if they should be tested for the new coronavirus. The website, however, is actually a project of Google’s sister company Verily and is initially limited to the San Francisco Bay Area.

Viral Posts Misrepresent California Primary Results

Viral Posts Misrepresent California Primary Results

Viral posts falsely claim President Donald Trump received more votes in the California primary than the top two Democratic candidates combined. Unofficial totals show that Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden received 1,842,471 votes; Trump received 1,486,415.

Trump Spins California’s Water Conservation Rules

Trump Spins California’s Water Conservation Rules

In criticizing California for how it has managed its water supplies, President Donald Trump falsely said that residents “very shortly” will “get 50 gallons” of water to use a day. That’s a distortion of two state water laws, which set efficiency targets for water agencies, not individuals. 

False Meme about California’s ‘Illegal Aliens’

False Meme about California’s ‘Illegal Aliens’

A meme on Facebook falsely claims that the California attorney general “bragged there are now 10 Million Illegal Aliens” in the state, when in fact he was talking about immigrants. The estimated number of people living in the state illegally ranges from 2 million to 3.1 million.

Trump Again Misunderstands California’s Wildfires

Trump Again Misunderstands California’s Wildfires

For the second year in a row, President Donald Trump inaccurately attributed California’s rash of wildfires to poor forest management. He also falsely said other states don’t have “close to the level of burn” as California.

Trump’s Misguided Tweet on California Gasoline Prices

Trump’s Misguided Tweet on California Gasoline Prices

California’s proposed fuel efficiency standards for cars don’t have anything to do with the state having the highest gas prices in the country, but that’s what President Donald Trump suggested in a tweet.

Mislabeled Video Politicizes Drug Problem

Mislabeled Video Politicizes Drug Problem

A video spreading on Facebook has been mislabeled to make a political statement about Democratic lawmakers in California. However, the video, which seems to show people under the influence of drugs, was filmed in Philadelphia.

Kamala Harris Spins Facts on Truancy Law

Kamala Harris Spins Facts on Truancy Law

Sen. Kamala Harris acknowledges that a 2010 state truancy law she sponsored resulted in some parents being jailed. But she misleadingly claims that jailing parents was an “unintended consequence” of the law.