Does a posed golf course photo prove Democratic vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden lied when he said he never met with the CEO of Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian oil and gas company? No, that's not true: None of the four men in the photo is a past or current CEO of the company. President Trump and his supporters have alleged Biden…
Did Kamala Harris violate Ohio electioneering laws when she addressed voters standing on line to vote early on October 24, 2020, in Cleveland? No, that's not true: Harris was standing in a permissible area when she addressed the Ohio voters. Campaigning or loitering within 100 feet of the entrance of a polling place is forbidden by Ohio law. If the…
Is the Santos Dumont Airport runway only 1,300 feet long? No, that's not true: The runway was 1,300 feet long back in 1934 when the airport was first being developed. The runway size was increased with improvements over time and currently the main runway is 4,340 feet long. The claim appeared in a video (archived here) posted on Facebook on…
Do blue masks cause symptoms similar to COVID-19 because they are sprayed with PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene)? No, that's not true: Medical experts said only some masks are sprayed with PTFE, but those that are would not be a concern at temperatures below 300 degrees. Meat begins to denature above 105 degrees. Mask wearers would suffer bodily tissue degradation, similar to cooking,…
Did President Donald Trump signal that he will "take away your Social Security" with his remarks that he may make a payroll tax deferment permanent? No, that's not true: President Trump signed an order for the deferral of some payroll taxes, which fund Social Security, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and he has thrown around the idea of removing the tax…
Does a photograph show a police officer rescuing a toddler wandering alone amid "violent riots" in Philadelphia? No, that's not true: Officers pulled the barefoot child from the backseat of an SUV after smashing its windows and removing two adults, according to video of the incident, first reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer. The claim, published by "Ohio Going Blue," appeared…
Were a handful of early voters in Utah who went to cast ballots told they had already voted? Yes, that's true: But it happened to only a few people and was due to a technical error by a poll worker. Once the problem was fixed, they able to vote. Official records show they had not voted previously, said Salt Lake…
Did Kamala Harris say "looters are just feeding their hungry kids"? No, there's no evidence the Democratic vice presidential nominee ever said that. The claim contradicts Harris' public statements that looting is a crime, while peaceful protest deserves support. The allegation appeared in a Facebook post (archived here) published by user "Darlene Chapman" on October 28, 2020. It read: KAMALA…
Did YouTube remove the video of Tucker Carlson's full interview with Tony Bobulinski, Hunter Biden's ex-business partner? No, that's not true: Fox News never posted the full interview, only a 17-minute clip. People who reposted the video without rights to the footage may have had their post removed. The claim appeared in a Facebook text post (archived here) shared on…
Did Facebook ban this "President Trump campaign ad"? No, that's not true. It goes without saying that videos playing on a platform proclaiming they are banned by that platform have not been banned. Those behind such posts use them as a way to profit from online traffic. This example is not A Trump 2020 campaign ad. It does not carry…
Is it true that all mail-in ballots received after Election Day will not be counted in the upcoming election? No, that's not true: 22 states have extended mail-in ballot receipt deadlines beyond Election Day. However, almost all other states require mail-in ballots to be received by Election Day -- Tuesday, November 3, 2020 -- to be counted The claim appeared…
Did Scientific American warn that 5G technology is not safe? No, that's not true: That's the opinion of one guest columnist of many. The magazine has not taken a stand on the safety of 5G. The claim appeared in an article published by Natural News on October 20, 2020, titled "Still think 5G is harmless? Scientific American issues warnings about…
Was the town of Belakwa, New York, abandoned in 2012 after a "routine hydrofracking operation left its soil toxic and its aquifer irreparable?" No, that's not true: Belakwa, New York, is not a real place. A sign, describing the fictional town as abandoned due to fracking, looks very similar to New York state's historical markers, but it is in fact…
Does Hobby Lobby not sell Jewish holiday items? No, that's not true: Hobby Lobby sells Jewish holiday items -- just as it did seven years ago when a now-recirculating post on Facebook appeared, accusing the company of religious bias. The claim originated from a post (archived here) published by Facebook on September 27, 2013. It opened: In the past few…
Did Democratic U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorse a shoe store on Twitter, urging it to "expand the size run so everyone can have a pair"? No, Austin, Texas-based Nice Kicks posted a fake tweet using images from the congresswoman's Twitter account and over-laid words. The composite appeared on Nice Kicks' Instagram and Twitter accounts. As a member of Congress, Ocasio-Cortez…
