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A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

Flawed Report Fuels Erroneous Claims About COVID-19 Death Toll

Flawed Report Fuels Erroneous Claims About COVID-19 Death Toll

Viral social media posts cite a flawed paper in falsely claiming the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed death certificate procedures and violated federal law, resulting in wildly inflated COVID-19 deaths. The CDC hasn’t altered how death certificates for COVID-19 are filled out, and there is no federal law governing the process.

FactChecking Claims About Asylum Grants and Immigration Court Attendance

FactChecking Claims About Asylum Grants and Immigration Court Attendance

While discussing ways to quickly determine if people who cross into the U.S. through Mexico are eligible for asylum, Sen. Rob Portman claimed that “only about half of them even show up for their court cases” and “only 15% of them qualify” for asylum. But government statistics aren’t that clear-cut.

Unfounded Claims About Colorado Gunman

Unfounded Claims About Colorado Gunman

A social media post is spreading baseless claims that the shooter accused of killing 10 people in Boulder, Colorado, came to the U.S. “Illegally from [M]exico and purchased the firearm from a guy that sells stolen guns.” Law enforcement officials say the suspect came to the U.S. from Syria as a child, and the gun used was legally purchased.

FactChecking Biden’s Claim that Assault Weapons Ban Worked

FactChecking Biden’s Claim that Assault Weapons Ban Worked

President Joe Biden claims the 10-year assault weapons ban that he helped shepherd through the Senate as part of the 1994 crime bill “brought down these mass killings.” But the raw numbers, when adjusted for population and other factors, aren’t so clear on that.

Bogus Claims About Biden’s Treatment of Homeless Veterans

Bogus Claims About Biden’s Treatment of Homeless Veterans

After the Biden administration said it would spend $86 million to temporarily house immigrants at the southern border in hotels, viral posts — including a tweet by Rep. Madison Cawthorn — falsely claimed the White House has directed “zero dollars” to homeless veterans. The American Rescue Plan includes $750 million to provide housing for veterans.

Pfizer CEO Got Vaccinated, Contrary to Claim in Video

Pfizer CEO Got Vaccinated, Contrary to Claim in Video

A video making the false claim that the Pfizer CEO “refuses” to get a COVID-19 vaccine has been circulating on Facebook. But the pharmaceutical company’s chief executive has said that he’s gotten his first shot.

Texas Doctor Spreads False Claims About COVID-19 Vaccines

Texas Doctor Spreads False Claims About COVID-19 Vaccines

Federal officials authorized two mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 after they were determined to be safe and effective against symptomatic illness in clinical trials. But a Texas doctor, in a widely shared video, falsely claims the vaccines don’t provide protection and that they’re actually “experimental gene therapy.”