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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Stories by Saranac Hale Spencer

Staff Writer, FactCheck.org

Mass Killings Across America

Mass Killings Across America
August 6, 2019

At least 144 people have died in 31 mass killings in the United States since the beginning of the year. Most of them, 141, died of gunshot wounds. The ages of victims ranged from 1 to 83. We mapped the 31 incidents across the U.S.

FactChecking the Second Democratic Debate

FactChecking the Second Democratic Debate
July 31, 2019

The first of the back-to-back Democratic debates in July included spin from the candidates on gun violence, Republican tax cuts, climate change, manufacturing jobs and more.

False Caption on Refugee Picture

False Caption on Refugee Picture
July 30, 2019

A photo circulating on social media claims to show “Europeans trying to get to North Africa during World War II,” but it actually shows Albanian refugees arriving in Italy in 1991.

Phony Claim About Trump’s Ellis Island Award

Phony Claim About Trump’s Ellis Island Award
July 25, 2019

President Donald Trump was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 1986, but it wasn’t given for his “work within the black community,” as a popular meme circulating on social media claims.

Comparing Benefits for Refugees and Senior Citizens

Comparing Benefits for Refugees and Senior Citizens
July 19, 2019

A popular meme falsely claims that each month refugees in the United States receive over three times more money in “federal assistance” than Social Security beneficiaries. That’s a new version of an old claim we debunked over a decade ago.

Fake AOC Quotes Keep on Trucking

Fake AOC Quotes Keep on Trucking
July 16, 2019

Another fake quote attributed to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is circulating online. She didn’t say that “truck drivers are destroying America”; that quote came from a website that describes its content as satire.

Citizenship, the Census and Obama

Citizenship, the Census and Obama
July 12, 2019

Memes circulating online claim that former President Barack Obama removed the citizenship question from the 2010 census. He didn’t. The citizenship question in 2010 was handled the same way it had been since 1970.