Kim LaCapria

Kim LaCapria is a New York-based Content Manager, fact checker, and folklore enthusiast. She began debunking viral urban legends full-time in 2009, and in 2014 became the first editorial employee of Snopes.com, authoring thousands of political and viral fact checks. For several years, she worked to modernize the site and broaden its profile and scope. Those efforts came to fruition in 2016, leading to acclaim and global acknowledgement of the necessity for fact-checking and its role in slowing mis-and-disinformation on social media. Kim joined TruthOrFiction.com in December 2018. After work, she enjoys air hockey, water parks, jjimjilbangs, and internet culture.

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Did Undocumented Immigrants Send $56 Billion in ‘Pure Cash’ to Their Home Countries Last Year?

Disinformation, Fact Checks, Immigration / By /

Against the backdrop of a long-running federal shutdown, purportedly over border wall funding, a Facebook user shared the following meme in January 2019: It read: ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS SENT $56 BILLION IN PURE CASH TO THEIR HOME COUNTRIES LAST YEAR ALONE. THAT’S AFTER THEIR KIDS ENJOYED FREE EDUCATION, FREE LUNCHES, AND FREE MEDICAL CARE PAID FOR …

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Did a Woman Shoot Off a Motorist’s Middle Finger in a Utah Road Rage Incident?

Fact Checks, Viral Content / By /

On January 8, 2019, the Facebook page “Weird Facts” shared the following image claim without further information: The image showed a four-lane motorway, and the text read: A man flipped off a woman while entering a Utah Freeway, and proceeded to have his middle finger shot off by her with a .357-caliber revolver. The original photograph …

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Were Irreplaceable Joshua Trees Destroyed Because of the Government Shutdown?

Fact Checks, Politics / By /

On January 10, 2019, the Facebook page “The Other 98%” shared a meme about Joshua trees which were purportedly destroyed due to the 2018-2019 federal government shutdown: Atop two images of trees, text read: During the shutdown, with Joshua Tree National Park open but no staff on duty, visitors cut down Joshua trees so they could drive …

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Does This Grandma Want You to Share Her Photo to Mark Her 100th Birthday?

Fact Checks, Viral Content / By /

On January 7, 2019, the Facebook page “Animals & Nature” shared a seemingly wholesome plea on the part of the purported poster’s 100-year-old grandma: Alongside the purported centenarian’s image, a caption pleaded: Today’s is my Grandma’s 100th Birthday. She requested me to post her pic on Internet to get some good wishes. [heart emoji, angel …

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Did Banks Collect $30 Billion in Overdraft Fees in 2018?

Fact Checks, Viral Content / By /

In January 2019, the following meme appeared on social media about overdraft fees collected by banks: The meme read: Banks collected over $30 billion in overdraft fees last year. Another way of saying that, banks took $30,000,000,000 from people who had no money. That statement is not exclusive to the image reproduced here; it appeared in …

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Is Rashida Tlaib’s ‘Raping and Pillaging… What Goes Around Comes Around’ Tweet Real?

Disinformation, Fact Checks / By /

In January 2019, a tweet attributed to Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib began circulating in questionable screenshot-only form on Twitter and Facebook: Dated January 4, 2019, it read: Americans have spent decades raping and pillaging my people. What goes around comes around. #FridayFeeling The tweet was immediately suspicious, as Rep. Tlaib’s official Twitter account is verified — but …

Is Rashida Tlaib’s ‘Raping and Pillaging… What Goes Around Comes Around’ Tweet Real? Read More »

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Do Democrats Pay The $5 Billion Wall Cost Every 10 Days to ‘Subsidize’ Illegal Immigration?

Fact Checks, Viral Content / By /

On January 4, 2019, a Facebook user shared a text-based post to a public group: It stated: Democrats pay what Trump is asking for the wall every 10 days to subsidize illegal aliens. Let that sink in. #SocialistClowns The status update was shared during the 2018-2019 government shutdown, which rested largely on United States President …

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Did the United States Give Jordan $500 Million to Build a Wall on its Border with Iraq?

Fact Checks, Politics / By /

On January 8, 2019, just after President Donald Trump addressed the United States on the matter of his intent to construct another border wall, the Facebook page “The American Dreamer” shared the following meme: Text overlaid on an image of a soldier standing next to a very tall concrete wall read: DID YOU KNOW THE U.S. …

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