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.

guns_wars

Have More Americans Died in Gun-Related Incidents Than Wars Since the Founding of the United States?

On December 7 2018, the Facebook page Change The Ref shared this meme (text below): FACT: MORE AMERICANS HAVE DIED OF GUN-RELATED INCIDENTS IN THE LAST FIFTY YEARS THAN HAVE DIED IN WAR SINCE THE COUNTRY’S FOUNDING. A caption with the image read: #FckThat Fact of the Day: Did you know that more Americans have died …

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Did John ‘Chickie’ Donohue Pull off a War Zone ‘Beer Run’ in Vietnam?

On December 7 2018, the Facebook page Dysfuntional Veterans shared the following meme about a man named John “Chickie” Donohue and a Vietnam war “beer run”: The meme read: John “Chickie” Donohue, a merchant marine from New York City snuck into the war zone in Vietnam in the ’60s to DELIVER BEER to his three …

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Candy canes in a jar.

Did a Principal Ban Candy Canes Because the ‘J’ Symbolizes Jesus?

On December 5 2018, The Blaze published an article titled “Principal banned candy canes because ‘J’ shape stands ‘for Jesus.’ But that was just for starters.” The item centered on a law firm devoted to “evangelical Christian” interests (Liberty Counsel), its assertion that Manchester Elementary School in Omaha, Nebraska had “banned” Christmas items, and its …

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charles_darwin_poorly_stupid

Did Charles Darwin Say He Hated ‘Everybody and Everything’ on a Difficult Day?

On November 29 2018, Twitter user @Plant_Phillips shared a transcribed image of a quote attributed to Charles Darwin: Even the most famous scientists have rough weeks. Charles Darwin, for example: “But I am very poorly today and very stupid and hate everybody and everything.” pic.twitter.com/o03pBG4ScI — Alyssa Phillips (@Plant_Phillips) November 30, 2018 A version was …

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Five baguettes in a container.

Were ‘Bladed Weapons’ Discovered in Baguettes During Riots in France?

In December 2018, amid massive civil unrest in France, a photograph of a serrated knife hidden in a baguette appeared on social media with a quip that it showed “bladed weapons confiscated from rioters” by Paris police. As of December 6 the image had accumulated tens of thousands shares, and a screencap published to Facebook …

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A woman holding a mobile phone over a laptop.

Did a Woman Use Venmo to Send Herself Thousands of Dollars from a Stranger’s Phone?

On November 12, 2018, Twitter user @SydneyShyanneS tweeted a tale about the cash-sharing app Venmo, modern dating, and bar interactions which later became virally popular: this dude has been calling my bar to check the cameras because he asked a girl to put her number into his phone & she Venmo’d herself $2,000 ???? drunk …

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