Did Mark Cuban Start an Online Pharmacy?
In June 2022, a three-month-old Facebook post about Mark Cuban starting an online pharmacy spread virally.
Fact Checks
Was Big Bird Supposed to Be on the Challenger?
A long-circulating claim that the Sesame Street character was supposed to be on the ill-fated Challenger shuttle re-emerged in June 2022.
Food Processing Plant Fires in 2022, Explained
Narratives about a purported string of food factory fires in 2022 had long-tail staying power, but rarely did debunkings address the “whys” of the conspiracy theory.
Welsh Road Sign Error
In late May and early June 2022, social media posts about a sign in Welsh with an amusing translation circulated across platforms.
[Not] ‘Written by a Uvalde Mom’ Facebook Post
A graphic, viral Facebook post falsely attributed to a “Uvalde mom” is circulating.
‘Saturn as Captured from a Backyard Telescope’
A popular Facebook image purportedly was a photo of Saturn, “as captured from a backyard telescope.”
‘US Median Rent to Reach $2000’ in 2022
A viral tweet suggested that median rent in the United States would soon reach $2000 per month in 2022, firmly outside the “3x rent” ratio rule of thumb when considering median salaries.
Universal Federal Free Lunch Program Ending
A popular Imgur post suggested that a federal free lunch program in American schools would be ending in June 2022.
Tikrit Shoe Statue
In May 2022, a popular post on Reddit purportedly depicted a “monument in Tikrit, Iraq” that memoralized the shoes thrown at former U.S. leader George W. Bush.
Leading Cause of Death in Children Since 2020
After a May 2022 school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, a popular tweet claimed that guns had become the leading cause of death in children and teens in the United States as of 2020.