On August 19 2021, the following screenshot circulated, featuring a tweet from @NBCLA:
It was not immediately clear if the tweets from NBC Los Angeles/@NBCLA were real, or if they were intended as humorous fakes. They read:
[1] “Come With Vax Proof or Get Shot On-Site: Raiders Set COVID Rules for Fans” [link]
[2] “The original headline on this article has been changed to clarify that a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will be available at Raiders home games. The previous tweet has been deleted. Here is a link to the updated article:” [link]
A quick search of @NBCLA’s timeline showed no evidence of the first tweet’s existence. Using a webpage archive service, we entered the URL prefix for @NBCLA’s Twitter timeline, and immediately located an archived version of the first tweet:
In the screenshot, the tweet’s date was cut off; however, it was originally shared on the evening of August 16 2021. As for the second tweet, it was still live as of August 18 2021, and it did reference the initial tweet:
As seen in the screenshot, the tweet read:
The original headline on this article has been changed to clarify that a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will be available at Raiders home games. The previous tweet has been deleted. Here is a link to the updated article:
Alternate screenshots captured from other devices (and in dark mode) appeared in the comments:
Images of a tweet from the NBC Los Angeles Twitter account (@NBCLA) which said that unvaccinated attendees of Raiders games (or those without proof they were vaccinated) would be “shot on sight” tweet spread on social media on August 19 2021. On first glance, it was not clear whether or not the first of two tweets was intended to be read as humorous or satirical in nature.
However, archived versions of the tweet from its original URL (https://twitter.com/NBCLA/status/1427498520513327131) were readily accessible. As such, the first tweet was real and deleted; the second tweet was published on August 18 2021, and it remained live the following day.
- "Come With Vax Proof or Get Shot On-Site: Raiders Set COVID Rules for Fans" | @NBCLA/Twitter (Archived)
- "Come With Vax Proof or Get Shot On-Site: Raiders Set COVID Rules for Fans" | @NBCLA/Twitter (Deleted)
- "The original headline on this article has been changed to clarify that a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will be available at Raiders home games. The previous tweet has been deleted. Here is a link to the updated article:" | @NBCLA/Twitter
- "Come With Vax Proof or Get Shot On-Site: Raiders Set COVID Rules for Fans" | @NBCLA/Twitter (Screenshot)