On September 13 2021, a Facebook account shared a screenshot of the following tweet, which claimed that George Washington mandated inoculation: That September 9 2021 read: George Washington mandated inoculation against small pox. The Supreme Court has ruled state vaccine mandates to be constitutional for more than a century. We’ve had vaccine mandates, including for things …
On September 14 2021, the death of comedian Norm Macdonald was widely reported; soon after the news broke, a purported quote of Macdonald’s about “cancer” and “battles” began circulating on Imgur: Across news outlets, Macdonald’s death was attributed to long-term cancer, a diagnosis he did not publicly discuss. Macdonald was quoted as having said the …
Norm Macdonald ‘When I Hear a Guy Lost a Battle to Cancer’ Quote Read More »
As the recall election against California governor Gavin Newsom drew closer to a close, both the leading right-wing candidate and conspiracy theorists continued pushing disinformation painting the process as “rigged” before polls even opened. As NBC News reported, Republican Larry Elder encouraged supporters to visit a website that claimed it had gathered evidence of fraud …
Right-Wing Disinformation Surges As California Recall Election Unfolds Read More »
On September 14 2021, a popular Imgur post showed a screenshot of a Todd Starnes tweet, in which Starnes questioned whether Fox News had a “mandatory vaccine policy”: On September 9 2021, Starnes tweeted: Biden says even @FoxNews has a mandatory vaccine policy. Is that true? That can’t be true. Have Hannity and Tucker and the others gotten …
Todd Starnes: ‘Biden Says Even Fox News Has A Mandatory Vaccine Policy’ Read More »
In the lead up to the California gubernatorial recall election of September 14 2021, the usual disinformation purveyors went into high gear, poisoning the well with wall-to-wall claims of perfidy and election theft. Overall, the California recall and its elements were far-reaching, so we have broken this page up into parts. What’s the Deal with …
On September 13 2021, a photograph of a man with a poorly spelled sign (“I know more than the scietists”) went viral on Twitter: One popular tweet read, “This is where we’re at and it hurts,” a sentiment seemingly addressing a widespread distrust of public health experts during the events of 2020 and 2021. A …
A viral September 5 2021 tweet thread “debunking” a series of stories about ivermectin use and hospitals shows that disinformation and the way it is delivered is mutating. Republican public relations strategist and freelance writer Drew Holden’s thread began by addressing a Rolling Stone piece about Oklahoma ivermectin overdoses, its claims quickly solidifying into an article of …
On August 23 2021, the Facebook page “Weird Facts” shared the following meme, which asserted that Elvis Presley’s manager did pro-Elvis and anti-Elvis marketing, selling “I Hate Elvis” buttons to individuals who were not fans of the singer: Underneath a black-and-white image of Presley and another individual, text read: Elvis Presley’s manager sold “I hate Elvis” …
Did Elvis Presley’s Manager Sell ‘I Hate Elvis’ Buttons to Profit From ‘Haters’? Read More »
On September 8 2021, the unreliable Daily Wire published an item headlined, “San Francisco Is Going To Pay People $300 A Month Not To Shoot Others.” The outrage-baiting headline worked; soon it appeared atop Trendolizer.com’s “trending” list. The piece began by citing Fox News: In an attempt to reduce violent crime, San Francisco, California will launch …
Is San Francisco Paying Criminals $300 a Month Not to Shoot People? Read More »
Blue’s Clues‘ original host returned in 2021 with “a message from Steve,” thanking his now-grown audience and commending their accomplishments.
