Q: Has the International Astronomical Union reclassified Pluto as a “major planet”?
A: No. That claim was originally published years ago as an April Fool’s joke.
Pluto Not Reclassified as a Planet
Debunking Viral Claims
These articles debunk misinformation shared on social media. We also provide resources for readers: an article and a video on how to combat misinformation.
From late 2016 to early 2025, FactCheck.org was one of several organizations working with Meta to debunk misinformation shared on Meta’s social media platforms.
No Logan Act Charges Against John Kerry
Q: Is John Kerry facing felony charges under the Logan Act?
A: No. The former secretary of state has not been charged.
Parton Me? Dolly Didn’t Praise Trump
Q: Did Dolly Parton say, “Trump in one year is already better than 16 years of Bush, Obama put together?”
A: No. A public relations consultant said that on a Breitbart radio show.
Teaching About Islam Hasn’t Been Banned
Q: Did the U.S. Supreme Court bar public schools from teaching about Islam?
A: No. That rumor originates from a website that describes itself as satirical.
No Evidence of Demi Moore Quote
Q: Did Demi Moore say, “I do not want Trump supporters for fans”?
A: No. Questionable websites have published the quote with no evidence to support it.
Soros Didn’t Pay for Shutdown Votes
Q: Did George Soros pay three Democratic U.S. senators to vote for a government shutdown?
A: No. The “senators” named in a fictional story are not real.
Out With the ‘Old Dixie’
Q: Did President Donald Trump order the removal of Barack Obama’s name from a Florida highway?
A: No. That rumor comes from a false headline attached to a 2015 opinion piece critical of the name change.
No Shutdown Shakedown
Q: Did Sen. Chuck Schumer take $500,000 in donations from immigrant advocacy groups before the government shutdown?
A: No. That rumor originated on a satirical website.
Fake Denzel Washington Story
Q: Did Denzel Washington call Barack Obama the “criminal-in-chief”?
A: No. The actor has been a steady supporter of Obama and of other Democrats.
Oprah’s 2013 Quote on Racism, in Context
Q: Did Oprah Winfrey say, “White People Just Have To Die.”
A: No. In 2013, she said that “older people, who were born, and bred, and marinated” in racism “have to die” before racism can be solved.