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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Posts Misrepresent WHO Term ‘Disease X’ for Possible Future Illness

Posts Misrepresent WHO Term ‘Disease X’ for Possible Future Illness

The World Health Organization began using the term “Disease X” in a 2018 planning document to refer to a “currently unknown” illness. But since the term was used at the January meeting of the World Economic Forum, conspiracy theorists baselessly claim Disease X is part of a “Globalist Plan to … Install World Government.”

Kentucky Lawmaker Fixes Incest Bill, But Not Until After It Goes Viral

Kentucky Lawmaker Fixes Incest Bill, But Not Until After It Goes Viral

State Rep. Nick Wilson proposed changing Kentucky’s incest law to add a ban on “sexual contact” to the existing ban on “sexual intercourse” between family members, but says he accidentally struck “first cousins” from the list of illegal relationships. Viral posts wrongly claimed Wilson wanted to legalize incest between cousins. He refiled a corrected bill.

Trump Shares Bogus Claim About Haley’s Eligibility to Serve as President

Trump Shares Bogus Claim About Haley’s Eligibility to Serve as President

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley was born in Bamberg, South Carolina, and as a natural born citizen is eligible to serve as U.S. president. But social media posts — including one shared by former President Donald Trump — falsely claim she is ineligible because her parents weren’t American citizens when she was born.

Post Misrepresents NFL Response to Oct. 7 Attack on Israel

Post Misrepresents NFL Response to Oct. 7 Attack on Israel

NFL teams paid tribute to the victims in Israel of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack by holding moments of silence before games during the following week. But a recent social media post falsely claimed the NFL encouraged players “to kneel for Israel before every game.” An NFL spokesperson called the claim “patently false.”

Kimmel Not Named in Unsealed Epstein Documents

Kimmel Not Named in Unsealed Epstein Documents

Court documents that include names of people associated with accused sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein are being unsealed, but late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has not been implicated. The suggestion that Kimmel would be among the names came from football player Aaron Rodgers, who had no evidence to support the claim.

Pass the Torch USA

A super PAC supporting Rep. Dean Phillips for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Americans for Prosperity

A conservative nonprofit, along with a related foundation and hybrid PAC, heavily financed by Koch Industries.

American Values 2024

A hybrid PAC supporting independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.