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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Answering NFL National Anthem Questions

Answering NFL National Anthem Questions

Q: Does the NFL have rules for player conduct during the national anthem? Does the Department of Defense fund patriotic ceremonies at NFL games?

A: Prior to May 2018, the league didn’t require players to stand during the anthem. The Defense Department no longer funds various patriotic displays.

No Evidence Linking Vegas Shooter to Antifa

No Evidence Linking Vegas Shooter to Antifa

Stories claiming that the Las Vegas shooter was linked to antifa, a loosely organized group of anti-fascist activists, are proliferating online. But his purported links to antifa are either false, fabricated or unsubstantiated.

Murphy Misses on NRA Track Record

Murphy Misses on NRA Track Record

Sen. Chris Murphy urged politicians to stand up to the National Rifle Association because while “[t]he gun lobby is certainly politically powerful … it loses as many races as it wins.” But the NRA has won the vast majority of recent congressional races in which it heavily invested.

Gun Control in Australia, Updated

Gun Control in Australia, Updated

In 2009, we wrote an Ask FactCheck item for readers who wanted to know, “Did gun control in Australia lead to more murders there last year?” The answer at the time was “no,” and that’s still the case.

Obama’s Record on Toxic Cleanups

Obama’s Record on Toxic Cleanups

Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt criticized former President Barack Obama for leaving “us with more Superfund sites than when he came in.” This is misleading for multiple reasons.

Tackling Fake Football Stories

Tackling Fake Football Stories

Q: Did the NFL fine players who protested during the national anthem? Was a player fired for it? Are some players asking the league to host a month of anti-police activism? Will Fox Sports stop airing NFL games?

A: No. Three of those stories were made-up, and one is a gross misrepresentation.

Obama’s Final Numbers

Obama’s Final Numbers

The numbers are nearly all in now. What they show about what really happened during the eight years that Barack Obama was president is sometimes different from what politicians claimed.

‘Death Tax’ Talking Point Won’t Die

‘Death Tax’ Talking Point Won’t Die

In calling for the repeal of the estate tax, President Donald Trump repeated a popular myth that a farmer’s heirs often have to “sell the farm” in order to pay the tax. In fact, less than 1 percent of the heirs of farm owners are expected to have to pay any estate tax.

No Nationwide Sharia Ban

No Nationwide Sharia Ban

Q: Has a judge banned Sharia law across the United States?

A: No. The judge pictured with a bogus headline proclaiming a nationwide ban was the host of a daytime court TV show.