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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Dominion’s Defamation Lawsuits Are Still Active

Dominion’s Defamation Lawsuits Are Still Active

Dominion Voting Systems has sued Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell for making false accusations of election fraud that defamed the company after the 2020 election. Both of those lawsuits are ongoing, but a false claim circulating on social media says that “Dominion LOST their law suits.”

Is Unemployment Bonus Keeping Workers on Sideline?

Is Unemployment Bonus Keeping Workers on Sideline?

Despite a stubbornly high unemployment rate of 6.1% in April — representing 9.8 million people who say they are actively looking for work — many employers are reporting that they can’t find people to hire.

Story Twists Facts on Diagnosing Breakthrough COVID-19 Cases

Story Twists Facts on Diagnosing Breakthrough COVID-19 Cases

A viral headline shared on social media falsely asserts that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed testing thresholds to “virtually eliminate” COVID-19 cases among vaccinated individuals. That’s wrong. The threshold in question simply applies to whether or not there is enough virus present in a sample for further analysis.

Viral Quote About Elections Misattributed to Trey Gowdy

Viral Quote About Elections Misattributed to Trey Gowdy

A viral Facebook post falsely attributes claims of widespread voter fraud and “treasonous acts” during the 2020 election to former Rep. Trey Gowdy. But he told us the statement “wasn’t from me.” We tracked the comments to a retired general who has spread unfounded conspiracy theories.

Vaccine Ingredient SM-102 Is Safe

Vaccine Ingredient SM-102 Is Safe

The COVID-19 vaccine from Moderna uses an ingredient called SM-102 to deliver the mRNA that carries instructions for how to develop antibodies against the novel coronavirus. A widely shared video is now spreading the falsehood that SM-102 is harmful, but the warning label it shows is for chloroform, not SM-102.

Insurance Companies Provide Coverage After COVID-19 Vaccination

Insurance Companies Provide Coverage After COVID-19 Vaccination

Insurance companies do not deny claims when someone dies after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the American Council of Life Insurers. But a viral social media post has falsely claimed that beneficiaries of a person who dies after getting the vaccine cannot collect life insurance payments.

Mailbag: Gain-of-Function Research

Mailbag: Gain-of-Function Research

A reader sent us comments on our article on gain-of-function research and whether the federal government helped fund such research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China.