Five Iron Workers Atop a Tower ‘Selfie’
A photograph of death-defying construction workers circulated on social media as the “mother of all selfies.”
Viral Content
Is Nintendo ‘Facing Backlash’ for Mario’s Signature Hat?
A number of people on social media railed against “snowflakes” complaining about Mario’s “MAGA hat,” not realizing their ire was wasted on satire.
Are ‘School Shooting Hoodies’ With Faux Bullet Holes Real?
Purported images from a streetwear brand’s spring 2020 fashion show spread on social media in September 2019.
Did ‘Upper Case’ and ‘Lower Case’ Originally Refer to Where Printers Kept Their Letters?
Twitter commentary about technology across generations hinted at little-known etymological origins for the terms.
Is This the ‘Newest and Clearest’ Photo of Pluto?
An image of the dwarf planet released in September 2019 lacked context about both its age and clarity.
‘2045 Time Traveler Took This Video in the Future…’
A viral video purporting to show a time traveler from a quarter of a century in the future tells us more about disinformation and how the media amplifies it than it does about the decades ahead.
The Story of Gary Box on 9/11
A popular Reddit post featured the New York City firefighter, who was killed shortly after a photograph of him was taken on September 11th.
Was Emmett Till’s Sign Vandalized Again, 35 Days After it Was Replaced?
In September 2019, Facebook users circulated an article which claimed that an Emmett Till memorial sign was vandalized, replaced, and then vandalized again.
Did a Man Decide to Use Drawings of ‘Cat Heads’ as His Official Signature?
If you’ve ever closed on a house, you already know what a hassle drawing cat heads on documents might be.
Cornel Nistorescu 9/11 ‘Ode to America’ Editorial
A long-circulating September 11, 2001-related chain email turned viral Facebook post is purportedly an excerpt from a Romanian newspaper written by Cornel Nistorescu.