Leonna Hale Photoshop Controversy
After days of social media outrage following the officer-involved shooting of Leonna Hale, a purported bodycam still raised further questions.
‘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.
The Onion, the New York Times, and Mass Shootings
The day after a mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, The Onion‘s cyclical mass shooting piece took over its front page — as a New York Times abstract followed suit in reality.
TikTok and Pastor Greg Locke IRS Controversy
Labeling a claim as a “new” TikTok trend helps it go viral, as was the case with a claim involving IRS tax-exempt statuses for churches.
Marjorie Taylor Greene: ‘White Supremacy Should Not Be the Main Target … We Should Not Be Pursuing People Based on How They Vote’
A viral tweet claimed that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) distilled white supremacist domestic terrorism into a voting issue.
Walmart Juneteenth Ice Cream, Trademark Controversy
Social media posts about Walmart’s Juneteenth ice cream (with a trademark) spread virally in late May 2022.
Did Keanu Reeves Work As a Reporter Covering a Teddy Bear Convention?
Clips of the “John Wick” star’s early days as a teen correspondent have recirculated online for years.