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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Posts Distort Impact of Biden’s Tax Plan on Middle-Income Earners

Posts Distort Impact of Biden’s Tax Plan on Middle-Income Earners

Facebook posts falsely claim that under Joe Biden, the “tax rate on a family making 75000 dollars would go from 12% to 25%.” Biden’s proposal does not call for a tax increase on those making less than $400,000, though analysts say an increased corporate tax rate could effectively result in a small tax increase for middle-income earners. 

New ‘Plandemic’ Video Peddles Misinformation, Conspiracies

New ‘Plandemic’ Video Peddles Misinformation, Conspiracies

The second part of “Plandemic” — a documentary-style video that presents a sweeping conspiracy theory about the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, patents and vaccines — landed on Aug. 18, spinning together many of the falsehoods about the disease that we’ve been debunking for months, plus some new misleading claims.

Posts Take Old Photos of Biden, Harris Out of Context

Posts Take Old Photos of Biden, Harris Out of Context

Facebook posts are using out-of-context photos to suggest Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, are not abiding by public health recommendations regarding face masks. The photos are from early March, before face masks were recommended by federal health officials.

Viral Chart Distorts Human Trafficking Statistics

Viral Chart Distorts Human Trafficking Statistics

A popular bar graph on social media claims to show that the number of human trafficking arrests skyrocketed under President Donald Trump, compared to those under former President Barack Obama. But the chart misleads by using cherry-picked and, in some cases, faulty numbers.

Video Using Trump’s State of the Union Address Wasn’t ‘Banned’

Video Using Trump’s State of the Union Address Wasn’t ‘Banned’

A viral video on Facebook claims to show a “campaign ad” for President Donald Trump that was “banned” by Facebook. There’s no evidence the video — showcasing audio from Trump’s 2020 State of the Union address — was “banned,” or that it’s an ad from the Trump campaign.

Asthma Medicine Not Proven as COVID-19 ‘Cure’

Asthma Medicine Not Proven as COVID-19 ‘Cure’

A viral headline on Facebook claims that a vaccine isn’t “Needed” for COVID-19 because “There Is Already A Cure.” But the supposed “cure” is an asthma medication, touted by a Texas doctor, that has not yet been proven in clinical trials as an effective treatment for COVID-19 — though researchers are exploring its efficacy.

In Viral Video, Doctor Falsely Touts Hydroxychloroquine as COVID-19 ‘Cure’

In Viral Video, Doctor Falsely Touts Hydroxychloroquine as COVID-19 ‘Cure’

A widely shared video, featuring a doctor falsely claiming hydroxychloroquine is a “cure” for COVID-19, ignited an online storm that resulted in the video being pulled by social media platforms. There is no known cure for COVID-19, and current scientific evidence hasn’t found that hydroxychloroquine is an effective treatment.