‘U.S. Quietly Slips Out Of Afghanistan In Dead Of Night’ Onion Story
A viral tweet purportedly shows an eerily prophetic headline in satirical site “The Onion” about the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan.
2021
Donald Rumsfeld and Mount Misery
A Facebook post about former U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and a house known as “Mount Misery” spread virally after his death in 2021.
‘The History of Left-Handedness’
A years-old Washington Post chart about left-handedness over time frequently appeared in discourse about a perceived spike in transgender youth.
Walmart ‘National Anthem’ Video
Footage of an apparently “spontaneous” rendition of the national anthem in a Walmart in Haslet, Texas went viral in July 2021.
Why Bill Cosby Was Released
A popular Imgur post showed a popular Facebook post with claims that Bill Cosby’s conviction was overturned due to a prosecution error.
‘White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki Blames GOP for Defunding Police’
A DailyWire.com item claimed that Psaki had “blamed” Republicans for “defunding police,” but the claim lacked context.
Golliwog Facebook Post
A Facebook post featuring a racist caricature and claims of being “banned” has over half a million shares – demonstrating weaknesses in censorship discourse and Facebook’s “Community Standards.”
‘Biden Energy Sec. Suggests Climate Change Could Have Caused Florida Building Collapse’
A Rumble.com/Bongino Report Clip claimed that the Biden administration’s Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm posited that climate change caused a June 2021 Miami building collapse.
‘White Influencer Identifies As Korean’
After an “Instagram personality” claimed they identified as “Korean” and “transracial,” their content became the focus of ginned-up outrage.
Volvo ‘Three Point Seat Belt’ Patent
A Facebook post claiming that Volvo invented the three-point seat belt but declined to maximize profits proved extremely popular.