Will 154,000,000 Pieces of Plastic from Christmas Crackers in the UK Wind Up in the Ocean in a Single Year?
Here’s how the rumor about hundreds of millions of pieces of “crackers” becoming ocean plastic got started.
Fact Checks
Are Scientists ‘Covering Up’ Global Warming Data?
Politicians and blogs pushing “natural” medicine have tried to distort actual scientific findings about climate change.
Spooky Season, Activated Charcoal in Food, and Medication
A viral social media post warns users not to fall for a “spooky season” trend, claiming that activated charcoal in foods can decrease the efficacy of certain medications and contraceptives.
Did Ulysses S. Grant Say a Second Civil War Could be Waged Over Intelligence Vs. Superstition?
After Donald Trump referenced a civil war on Twitter, a quote attributed to the eighteenth United States president circulated on social media.
Harry S. Truman ‘You Can’t Get Rich in Politics Unless You’re a Crook’ Meme
The popular quote has been widely attributed to the 33rd President of the United States, but it appears to be a misleading paraphrase at best.
Breaking Down States Where a ‘Trans Panic’ Defense Is Not Illegal
An LGBTQ website’s graphic showing the scope of the issue is mostly accurate.
Did the FBI Say Knives are Used in Five Times More Murders than Rifles?
A number of posts led readers to believe the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s crime statistics implicated knives as far deadlier than rifles, but there are a few issues with that assessment.
Is it Now Illegal to Say ‘Illegal’ in New York City?
A number of increasingly hysterical posts on social media claimed that New York City had either criminalized or outright banned calling people “illegal,” a rumor that spread like wildfire.
Would Trump Get to ‘Run Two More Times’ If He Is Not Impeached?
A far-right disinformation purveyor claims that he got critics “to read the Constitution” with a purportedly farcical tweet.
Comparing William Barr and Chelsea Manning’s Refusal to Comply with Subpoenas
While not totally inaccurate, a widely-shared graphic misstates some of the terms of Manning’s incarceration.