History

Do Social Security cards contain a secret contract concealed in the fine print of the signature line? No, that's not true: The signature line on a Social Security card is a line of intaglio microtext which spells out the words "Social Security Administration". This is one of many anti-counterfeiting features included on the banknote paper of the Social Security card…

Does a real photo show the moment in 1952 that a double-decker bus jumped the widening gap of the Tower Bridge drawbridge sections as it was opened to let river traffic through? No, that's not true: While a quick-thinking driver of the London number 78 line was truly celebrated for hitting the gas and jumping the gap, the viral photo…

Did a wax figure at the "Pine Bluff Historical Museum" turn out to be a mummified real man who had been missing for years as a viral story claimed? No, that's not true: The story was written by "Muhammad Haseeb Ahmer" who first said it happened in Missouri while including key details like towns and institutions that don't exist. A…

Did Donald Trump dismiss a longtime Secret Service food tester after JD Vance saw the agent sprinkle an unidentified spice on the President's meal when they were dining out in DC? No, that's not true: There is no evidence supporting this story. In his second term Donald Trump had only eaten out in DC on one occasion, on Sept. 9,…

This is what fact checkers call a "prebunk." A prebunk is like a debunk (another word for fact check), only it's an advance notice of an anticipated false claim. This article is intended to inoculate you from future outbreaks of a specific type of false claims about your favorite entertainment celebrities, sports stars, and politicians. We call this "Viet Spam"…

Did ABC cancel "The View" and replace it with "The Charlie Kirk Show" hosted by the late conservative activist's widow, Erika Kirk, and other people, including Megyn Kelly? No, none of that is true: The show continued to be on air after the beginning of this wave of online rumors. Neither the hosts nor the network made a public announcement…

Did U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement "rebrand" itself to be publicly known as Homeland Security Investigators, not ICE? No, that's not true: ICE still exists under the same old name. "Homeland Security Investigators" discussed in social media posts is not a brand-new entity -- it has operated since 2010 as one of the major divisions within ICE, but the correct…

Did the Donald Trump White House publish a press release offering pieces of the demolished East Wing for $500 per item at a website whose name suggested an affiliation with the U.S. president? No, that's not true: An image of the purported press release circulating on social media was full of nonsensical typos and redirected to a nonexistent website. As…

Is a video showing dogs trying to steal honey by poking a beehive with a stick and getting stung authentic? No, that's not true: The video was posted on a TikTok account that says it publishes "high quality 3D animated shorts". According to a specialized detection tool the video was likely made using AI. The footage also contained several glitches…

Did the United States have no children's hospitals in the 1960s and 1970s, when comedian Rob Schneider was a child? No, that's not true: The first children's hospital was opened in Philadelphia in 1855, with 26 operating by 1895, according to an academic paper. Hospitals opened in the 1960s include St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. The claim originated…