bad history

Bob Marley ‘I Wish We Were All Hippies’ Quote

Fact Checks, Viral Content / By Kim LaCapria / June 15, 2021

A viral Facebook quote has been attributed to Bob Marley since at least 2011, but there’s no evidence Marley ever said he wished “we were all hippies.”

‘Three Thousand Year Old Statue Found in Cappadocia’

Fact Checks, Viral Content / By Kim LaCapria / May 12, 2021

Posts about a purportedly ancient statue of an astronaut spread on Facebook and Reddit, but without substantiation.

‘Monastery of Sakia, Library Found in Tibet Containing 84,000 Secret Manuscripts’

Fact Checks, Viral Content / By Kim LaCapria / April 19, 2021

Viral social media posts purportedly detail the discovery of ancient manuscripts at a Tibetan monastery.

‘Casual Reminder That in 1861, 11 Senators and 3 Representatives Were Expelled from Congress for Failing to Recognize Lincoln’s Election and Supporting Insurrection’

Fact Checks, Politics / By Kim LaCapria / February 10, 2021

A screenshot of a tweet claiming eleven senators and three Congressmen were expelled in 1861 for “failing to recognize” the election of Abraham Lincoln and “supporting insurrection” went viral on Imgur and Reddit in February 2021.

‘Giulia Tofana Was an Italian Professional Poisoner … Famous for Selling Poison to Women Who Wanted to Murder Their Abusive Husbands’

Fact Checks, Viral Content / By Kim LaCapria / December 21, 2020

A viral Facebook post addresses the purported history of Giulia Tofana and her “Aqua Tofana,” sold to women with abusive husbands.

Did Women Start Shaving Their Legs Due to a 1910s Marketing Push by Razor Manufacturers?

Fact Checks, Viral Content / By Kim LaCapria / October 23, 2020

A viral Facebook post maintained women didn’t shave their legs or underarms until a razor company “CEO … in the 1910s” decided to expand their market to leg hair.