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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Social Media Claims Misrepresent Boston U. Study of What Causes Severity of COVID-19 Strains

Social Media Claims Misrepresent Boston U. Study of What Causes Severity of COVID-19 Strains
October 21, 2022

To study the role of the spike protein in the severity of COVID-19 illnesses, researchers exposed 10 mice prone to develop severe disease to a hybrid version of the virus. Eight mice died. Social media posts say researchers created a dangerous new variant with an “80 PERCENT Kill Rate,” potentially leaving the false impression that this pertains to humans. Also, the hybrid virus used in the study had a lower mortality rate than the original virus had on mice.

States Determine School Immunization Requirements, Not CDC

States Determine School Immunization Requirements, Not CDC
October 21, 2022

Vaccines are added to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s immunization schedule after consultation with an outside advisory group and when the benefits outweigh the risks. Contrary to claims from Tucker Carlson and others, the COVID-19 vaccines will not become mandatory in schools just by being added to the CDC schedule. States and local districts make those determinations.

Johnson Ad Omits Barnes’ Condemnation of Attack on Police

Johnson Ad Omits Barnes’ Condemnation of Attack on Police
October 20, 2022

In the Wisconsin Senate race, an ad from Republican Sen. Ron Johnson selectively pulls comments made by his opponent, Democrat Mandela Barnes, from an interview days after a deadly attack on police in Dallas. The ad claims Barnes “rationalized violence” against police, but it ignores that Barnes said the killings were “not justified in any way” and that he “denounced” the attack.

It’s Not News, Nor ‘Scandalous,’ That Pfizer Trial Didn’t Test Transmission

It’s Not News, Nor ‘Scandalous,’ That Pfizer Trial Didn’t Test Transmission
October 18, 2022

The COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials were designed to study the vaccine’s safety and efficacy in preventing symptomatic disease, not transmission. But online publications now misleadingly present the fact that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was not tested for transmission as a “shocking admission” and proof that the company and the government lied.

Ad from Super PAC Misleadingly Edits Utah Candidate’s Comments About Republican Base

Ad from Super PAC Misleadingly Edits Utah Candidate’s Comments About Republican Base
October 18, 2022

In TV and social media ads, Club for Growth Action misleadingly edited remarks by independent Senate candidate Evan McMullin of Utah to make it appear he said that “the Republican base is racist.” In fact, McMullin said “there is an element of the Republican base that is racist,” and that the party’s leaders won’t stand up to them for fear of losing votes.

Social Media Claims Misrepresent Election Software CEO’s Arrest

Social Media Claims Misrepresent Election Software CEO’s Arrest
October 14, 2022

The arrest of a CEO whose company maintained poll worker data for Los Angeles County has sparked a wave of false voter fraud claims. County District Attorney George Gascón has said that the “alleged conduct had no impact on the tabulation of votes and did not alter election results.”

Florida’s COVID-19 Vaccination Analysis Is Flawed, Experts Say

Florida’s COVID-19 Vaccination Analysis Is Flawed, Experts Say
October 13, 2022

The state of Florida recently announced that it was no longer recommending that younger males receive mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, based on an unpublished analysis that purportedly found an increased risk of cardiac-related death following vaccination. But experts who specialize in the unique method used in the analysis say it was not properly done — and even if it had been, the findings would not mean that individuals should not get vaccinated.

Unraveling Wisconsin GOP Candidate’s Abortion Position

Unraveling Wisconsin GOP Candidate’s Abortion Position
October 13, 2022

A Facebook ad from the Republican Accountability PAC says Wisconsin Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels “supports” an abortion ban with “no exceptions for rape [or] incest.” The ad doesn’t tell the whole story.