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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Missouri State Senators in Video Were Burning Boxes, Not Books

Missouri State Senators in Video Were Burning Boxes, Not Books

Two Missouri state senators participated in a fundraising event that included a demonstration of flamethrowers that were up for auction. Videos shared on Instagram falsely claimed to show the senators engaged in a “book burning.” But only empty boxes, not books, were being torched.

Posts Push Unproven ‘Spike Protein Detoxification’ Regimen

Posts Push Unproven ‘Spike Protein Detoxification’ Regimen

Serious side effects after COVID-19 vaccination are rare, and there isn’t evidence people need to undergo a “spike protein detoxification” regimen after getting vaccinated, contrary to claims made online. Nor has such a regimen been shown to help people recover from long COVID, or long-term health problems after having COVID-19.

FactChecking Trump on ‘Meet the Press’

FactChecking Trump on ‘Meet the Press’

Kristen Welker’s first week as the new moderator of NBC’s “Meet the Press” featured an interview with former President Donald Trump, and she was busy trying to push back on his numerous false and misleading statements.

Flu Shots, MMR Vaccines Have Saved Millions of Lives, Contrary to Online Claim

Flu Shots, MMR Vaccines Have Saved Millions of Lives, Contrary to Online Claim

Flu shots and vaccines that protect children against measles, mumps and rubella have been effective in preventing illness, serious disease and death. But a meme has been circulating with the false suggestion that those vaccines are ineffective. Actually, they’ve saved millions of lives and have eliminated both measles and rubella in the U.S.

Post Makes False Claim About Children Missing After Maui Wildfires

Post Makes False Claim About Children Missing After Maui Wildfires

The wildfires in Maui caused widespread destruction on the island and claimed the lives of 97 people. The Maui Police Department and the FBI have released the list of 31 individuals still unaccounted for following the fire. Yet an Instagram post falsely claims “over 1,000 children are missing.”

Launching Impeachment Inquiries: Reviewing What Happened in 2019 and 2023

Launching Impeachment Inquiries: Reviewing What Happened in 2019 and 2023

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reneged on his promise not to move forward with an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden without having a full vote by the House of Representatives. When defending his reversal, McCarthy blamed his predecessor, Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi. We sort out their conflicting statements.

Ramaswamy’s Climate Change Spin

Ramaswamy’s Climate Change Spin

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, a self-professed “unapologetic proponent of greater use of fossil fuels,” has repeatedly cited false or misleading statistics to downplay the risks of climate change.

WHO Director-General Is Vaccinated Against COVID-19, Contrary to Online Post

WHO Director-General Is Vaccinated Against COVID-19, Contrary to Online Post

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization, is an advocate for equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines in countries around the globe. But a social media post misleadingly claims, “Tedros says he isnt vaccinated.” Tedros shared a tweet on May 12, 2021 showing himself receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.

Q&A on the Updated COVID-19 Vaccines

Q&A on the Updated COVID-19 Vaccines

Updated COVID-19 vaccines are being rolled out in the U.S., aimed at targeting the latest, prevalent variants of the disease. Here we answer common questions about the latest vaccines.