Did Public Assistance Programs Exist in the United States Before Social Security?
Claims that “our ancestors” who emigrated to the U.S. had no access to pensions or other types of aid when they arrived are ahistorical.
Disinformation
Are the ‘Epstein Gurney Photos’ Fake?
A popular conspiracy theory after the death of Jeffrey Epstein involved “gurney photos” in the news and claims that those photographs were fabricated.
Did Cameras Malfunction in Prison the Night Jeffrey Epstein Died?
In a predictable pattern, social media claims led to media reports repeating those rumors which then strengthened those rumors in a feedback loop.
Is This an Accurate Picture of 2019’s Mass Shooters?
As the American public started to discuss white supremacist-linked violence in the context of mass shootings, a image showing dozens of people purportedly responsible began to circulate.
Are El Paso Mass Shooting Victims or Their Families Avoiding Hospitals for Fear of Immigration Enforcement?
In the hours after a mass shooting in Texas, rumors appeared that victims and families were too fearful of border authorities to visit hospitals in El Paso.
Is Donald Trump Deleting Anti-Immigrant Tweets?
In the hours after a mass shooter at a mall in El Paso, Texas left at least 22 people dead, rumors flew that the President of the United States was deleting relevant tweets.
Is This ‘a Feminist’ Exposing Herself to Students During a Field Trip?
An image taken deliberately out of its context was used as outrage-bait on Twitter and blogs.
Do Asylum Seekers Get $2,100 Per Month Starting Their First Day in the United States?
A viral Facebook post compares asylum seekers to Social Security recipients, but it gets most of its numbers wrong.
Was Ivanka Trump Photographed Wearing a Swastika Logo?
On July 23 2019, the Twitter account @ScenarioLENS shared the following image of Ivanka Trump, posing with a law enforcement agent in what looked like a strange, stylized swastika sweater: In that tweet, the user asked “what the hell” Trump was wearing, not intimating that the design resembled a Nazi swastika. Actress Ellen Barkin retweeted …
Was Ivanka Trump Photographed Wearing a Swastika Logo? Read More »
Did George Washington Say Citizens Gain the Right to Unseat the Government if the Government Restricts Guns?
In May 2019, the Facebook page “McGroarty for Freedom” shared the following meme containing a quote attributed to George Washington concerning the rights of citizens to bear arms: Across a black background, white text read: “When government takes away citizens’ right to bear arms it becomes citizens’ duty to take away government’s right to govern.” George Washington No …