Facebook Twitter Tumblr Close Skip to main content
A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Flawed Analysis Leads to False Claim of ‘No Excess Deaths’ in 2020

Flawed Analysis Leads to False Claim of ‘No Excess Deaths’ in 2020

An economics professor’s flawed interpretation of U.S. mortality data has prompted a viral, false claim that COVID-19 hasn’t led to more deaths than normal this year. In fact, multiple analyses have found there to be a higher-than-normal number of deaths during the pandemic — as much as 20%, according to some studies.

Meme Misrepresents Old Inauguration Photo

Meme Misrepresents Old Inauguration Photo

A popular meme on Facebook falsely purports to show a photo of “Biden’s Inaugural stage” being built outside the White House. The photo shows the reviewing stand for the inaugural parade at Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993.

Website Concocts False Story of Soros Arrest

Website Concocts False Story of Soros Arrest

A bogus social media story uses a doctored image of an indictment to falsely claim George Soros has been arrested in the U.S. “for election interference.” The actual charges are against six Russian nationals for cyberattacks.

The Facts on Trump’s Post-Election Legal Challenges

The Facts on Trump’s Post-Election Legal Challenges

For this story, we ignore the tweets and press conferences and look at what the president’s lawyers have been saying in court. Two things stick out: a lack of evidence of voter fraud and a long string of legal defeats and setbacks.

Meme Distorts Facts on Annual Death Statistics

Meme Distorts Facts on Annual Death Statistics

An image circulating on social media erroneously claims that the total number of deaths in the U.S. this year is significantly down compared to previous years. The meme — which implies COVID-19 restrictions weren’t needed — actually uses an incomplete figure for 2020 and makes a flawed comparison.

Biden Adviser Didn’t Propose Requiring COVID-19 Vaccine for Food Stamps

Biden Adviser Didn’t Propose Requiring COVID-19 Vaccine for Food Stamps

A report from two dozen experts — including a doctor named to President-elect Joe Biden’s COVID-19 advisory board — recommended using existing social service programs to connect people with COVID-19 vaccine distribution. The report did not advise requiring vaccination in order to receive such services, as social media posts falsely claim.

Fabricated Claim of Biden Campaign Official’s Arrest

Fabricated Claim of Biden Campaign Official’s Arrest

A viral tale on social media falsely claims that a campaign official for President-elect Joe Biden was arrested in an illegal ballot-harvesting scheme in Texas. He has not been charged or arrested. The false claim stems from unverified allegations in an unsuccessful lawsuit brought by a group of Republicans.

Bogus Theory Claims Supercomputer Switched Votes in Election

Bogus Theory Claims Supercomputer Switched Votes in Election

A baseless conspiracy theory claims that a secret supercomputer was used to switch millions of votes from Donald Trump to Joe Biden. Experts — and the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency — have said the theory is a hoax and that safeguards, including paper trails, would deter such an effort.

Faulty Claim About ‘Biden-Only’ Ballots in Georgia

Faulty Claim About ‘Biden-Only’ Ballots in Georgia

Campaign officials for President Donald Trump and supporters have promoted the faulty claim that Joe Biden received nearly 100,000 votes in Georgia through ballots that only included selections for president, suggesting it’s “suspicious.” But the claim ignores that some voters do not vote a straight-party ballot.