On June 18 2019, Twitter user @johncatsjr shared the following tweet (“why I’m voting for Donald Trump in 2020”), a missive picked up by innumerable other users — along with an original misspelling: In that first version, the user spelled “manufacturing” as “manufactuing,” an error present in reposts of the same cut-and-pasted content: In the …
‘Why I’m Voting for Donald Trump in 2020’ Twitter Meme Read More »
If you use Facebook, chances are you’ve stumbled upon the videos of Jay Shetty — perhaps the one that is very vaguely titled “Before You Judge Anyone, Watch This,” which is a parable about airport cookie theft: The same story was told in another video on Twitter in 2017: In the video, Shetty narrates a …
In June 2019 — Pride Month in the United States — the following image circulated on social media, suggesting that one of the sexual orientations added to New York City’s “Gay Street” sign was “pedosexual”: The image depicted the corner of Gay Street in New York City, which is adjacent to Christopher Street: Christopher Street …
Does a New ‘Gay Street’ Sign Near Stonewall Include ‘Pedosexual’ in Pride? Read More »
A meme shared by the page “Explore Talent” (archived here) including several images alongside a warning about razor blades purportedly affixed to playground equipment such as slides has been circulating on social media for years: The text on the meme read: Everyone needs to be aware of this especially since it’s Summertime. Some sick human …
Razor Blades on Slides: Urban Legend or Legitimate Risk? Read More »
On June 13 2019, the Facebook page “Crafty Morning” shared the following meme (archived here), featuring an image of salad and lettuce in bags at a supermarket along with purported tips for selecting the freshest produce: Above an image of Fresh Express bagged lettuce varieties such as “Veggie Lover’s” and “Field Greens,” text said: If you …
Should You Avoid Puffy Bags of Salad or Lettuce in Favor of Flat Ones? Read More »
April 2019 saw the culmination of a months-long popular uprising in the country of Sudan, when its former president Omar al-Bashir stepped down from his post. The Sudanese military quickly took control of the country in what it called a transitional phase. In the weeks following al-Bashir’s ouster, however, clashes became both deadlier and more …
Scams and Hoax Accounts Proliferate on Instagram Read More »
On June 11 2019 Twitter user @n_robe shared the following tweet, claiming that the word “homosexual” was only added to the Bible in 1983 as a pretext for codifying anti-gay sentiments in Christianity: According to the tweet, “the word ‘homosexual’ didn’t appear in the Bible until 1983, replacing a verse stating that “man shall not lie …
Was the Word ‘Homosexual’ Only Added to Leviticus 18:22 in 1983? Read More »
On June 13 2019, @Complex tweeted the following footage, purportedly showing a ride called “Gyro Drop” and its “swing” feature: The tweet was viewed more than 13 million times in just 24 hours. @Complex did not include any additional information about the “Gyro Drop” ride, such as its location. However, replies to the tweet addressed …
On June 11 2019, a Facebook user shared the following text-based status update (archived here), claiming the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 against the use of the Qur’an for swearing oaths: Right off the bat, the format of the post was a scourge to fact-checking sites. Text against a colorful background, rarely if ever accompanied by …
Did the Supreme Court Rule 5-4 Against Swearing in on the Qur’an? Read More »
In June 2019, a number of Facebook posts popped up warning mobile users of a purported new mobile feature in which shaking a phone with the social media platform’s mobile app open could lead to automatic reporting of posts (and, readers surmised, unwittingly sending friends to “Facebook jail”): The most commonly shared variation of the …
Can Shaking Your Phone Report Posts and Land Your Friends in Facebook Jail? Read More »
