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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Viral Posts Spread Iran-‘Deep State’ Conspiracy Theory

Viral Posts Spread Iran-‘Deep State’ Conspiracy Theory

An online conspiracy theory falsely claims that Democratic leaders coordinated the June attacks on two oil tankers and a U.S. drone and that President Donald Trump caught them in the act. The Trump administration has placed the blame squarely on Iran.

Will the New Coronavirus ‘Go Away’ in April?

Will the New Coronavirus ‘Go Away’ in April?

President Donald Trump suggested that the new coronavirus would “go away” in April, as temperatures warm. While some viruses are seasonal, it’s not yet clear if the new virus will follow the same pattern — and experts caution against banking on the weather to resolve the outbreak.

Fake Coronavirus Cures, Part 3: Vitamin C Isn’t a Shield

Fake Coronavirus Cures, Part 3: Vitamin C Isn’t a Shield

Online posts claim that vitamin C can “stop” the new coronavirus. While it’s true that vitamin C can have a marginal effect on warding off a cold, there’s no evidence that it can stop or treat the new coronavirus.

Fake Coronavirus Cures, Part 1: MMS is Industrial Bleach

Fake Coronavirus Cures, Part 1: MMS is Industrial Bleach

Online posts have claimed to reveal various “cures” for the new coronavirus. Some are benign, like eating boiled garlic, while others are potentially dangerous, like drinking chlorine dioxide, an industrial bleach. Neither will cure the virus.

Biden Miscasts Hot Mic Moment About Trump

Biden Miscasts Hot Mic Moment About Trump

Joe Biden falsely claimed that a hot mic at a NATO reception caught “leaders of the free world” privately saying “they didn’t think [President Donald Trump] knew anything, they didn’t trust him et cetera.” Biden has turned Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s mild ribbing about Trump holding long, unscheduled press interviews into something far worse.

Coronavirus Misinformation Spreads Like a Virus

Coronavirus Misinformation Spreads Like a Virus

China first reported a new strain of viral pneumonia in the city of Wuhan on Dec. 31, and, within a month, the internet was infected with misinformation about the illness, now called the 2019 novel coronavirus.

Q&A on COVID-19

Q&A on COVID-19

An outbreak of viral pneumonia that began in the central Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019 has now sickened thousands, and led to more than 100 deaths. Here, we answer some key questions about what is known so far about the outbreak and the virus.

Giuliani Was Not a ‘Minor Player’ in Ukraine

Giuliani Was Not a ‘Minor Player’ in Ukraine

One of President Donald Trump’s defense lawyers described Rudy Giuliani as “just a minor player” in Ukraine matters that resulted in the president being impeached. But the evidence suggests otherwise.

New Coronavirus Wasn’t ‘Predicted’ In Simulation

New Coronavirus Wasn’t ‘Predicted’ In Simulation

A conspiracy theory website distorted the facts about an emergency preparedness exercise to suggest that the “GATES FOUNDATION & OTHERS PREDICTED UP TO 65 MILLION DEATHS” from the coronavirus now spreading. The event dealt with a hypothetical scenario involving a fictional virus.