Did Bergen County, New Jersey, report that 100% of its votes were counted in the state's 2021 general election, yet add unexplained votes afterward? No, that's not true: although news websites such as The New York Times reported that 100% of results were in, that figure did not take into account every vote cast, such as mail-in and provisional votes,…

Does a video posted to Facebook show a rigged digital voting machine used in Middletown Township, New Jersey, during the state's general election in 2021? There is no evidence to suggest that it does: While there were reports of touch screens occasionally locking up on digital voting equipment in New Jersey during the election, those machines are set up to…

Did "experts" issue a warning stating black licorice causes instant death in "seniors"? No, that's not entirely true: This claim is missing context. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that eating an excessive amount of black licorice over a long period can cause serious health problems, which could eventually lead to death -- for a person of any age.…

Does a 54-minute video interview featuring elaborate conspiracy theories show we are living through a global bioweapons attack? No, that's not true: The video includes a lengthy list of claims and charges that have already been debunked. No evidence is provided to support the notion of a worldwide bioweapons attack by a cabal bent on global dominion. The interview was…

Did the FBI arrest Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla in Scarsdale, New York, on the morning of November 5, 2021? No, that's not true: Scarsdale police said there was no FBI raid there and that Bourla no longer lives in the famous bedroom community of New York City. Bourla made multiple live appearances on network television the day he was purported…

Does this collection of video clips prove people are suffering from harmful side effects of a COVID-19 vaccine? No, this video lacks enough context to show if these people were even vaccinated, or if their symptoms are related to the vaccine or simply to having an injection. The video offers no narrative or sourcing to accompany a rapid succession of…

Did authorities send out an arrest warrant for Pope Francis on November 1, 2021? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that an arrest warrant for Pope Francis has been issued, that he is going to court for crimes against humanity or that he could be imprisoned any time soon. This is a completely fictional claim. The claim appeared…

Do several videos posted online show legitimate unmarked and shredded ballots discarded at the Gloucester County Office of Elections in New Jersey? No, that's not true: According to the Gloucester County Clerk's Office, those materials had "no viable election use." The claim appeared in a Facebook post (archived here) published on November 3, 2021. The post featured several videos and…

Does Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine attack human blood and cause dangerous clots? No, there's no publicly available evidence to support the claim. There is no website at the address the video maker sends viewers to for details on the blood exam. The Food & Drug Administration in 2009 barred this video's maker, Dr. Richard Fleming, from working with anyone seeking FDA…

Does the number of reported adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines in the United States equal half of all such reports for all vaccines over the last 30 years? Yes, that's true: Those numbers are found in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), based on data through October 22, 2021. But the numbers don't tell the full story. The COVID…

Is the Australian military being trained to force-vaccinate people with the COVID-19 vaccine in door-to-door attacks? No, that's not true. The claim is "misinformation and completely false," a spokesperson for the Australian Government Department of Defence told Lead Stories. No publicly available evidence corroborates the claim. The claim appeared in an article published by the Hal Turner Radio Show on…

Do these 19 studies on COVID-19 vaccines show that vaccination isn't effectively fighting infection? No, that's not true. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention evaluated over 90 peer-reviewed studies and preprint publications to determine that vaccination boosts the immune system and reduces the risk of repeat infection for those who have had coronavirus before and those who have not.…

Is this trapdoor spider poisonous, and can it kill human beings who are stung by it "within 5 minutes"? No, that's not true: Trapdoor spiders don't produce poison, only venom to subdue prey -- which does not include humans. McGill University Natural Resource Sciences Professor Christopher Buddle calls a post "certainly false" in its claim that this spider is deadly.…

Do Kinder Joy candies contain a wax that causes cancer? No, there's no evidence of that: A post making the claim offers no proof or source to substantiate that claim. The manufacturer of the egg-shaped candy says there's no wax in Kinder Joy, and the ingredients list on the company website does not include wax. Also, the FDA says carcinogenic…

Does this video show the Iranian military firing at a UFO? No, that's not true: This video footage came from a night time machine gun shoot at the Big Sandy Range in Arizona. The glowing flying object is not from outer space but a remote control target drone. This video does not show a military defense or training, but an…

Did Pfizer include tromethamine, an "ingredient used to stabilize heart attack victims" in its COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11 years old? Only as a stabilizing pH buffer to make it easier to store. While tromethamine is being used as an inactive ingredient in the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine authorized for use in children aged 5-11 years old, both Pfizer and…

Do COVID-19 vaccines approved in the United States contain hydrogel nanobots that multiply, rewrite human genetics and erase and plant memories in human brains? No, that's not true nor even possible in 2021. No private or academic lab has laid claim to the ability to make a robot that could pass through a COVID vaccine hypodermic needle carrying the kind…

Was former first lady Michelle Obama involved in or arrested as a result of a hit-and-run accident? No, that's not true: This claim originated from a satirical website, with the story carrying a site category tag of "Michelle Obama Fan Fiction." It uses the name of a fictitious town. Also, there's been no news coverage that would be inevitable if…

Did COVID-19 cases in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) drop in 71 out of 75 districts 24 hours after implementing ivermectin protocol? No, that's not true. While coronavirus cases plummeted in UP after peaking in late April 2021, it didn't happen in a day's time and appeared to have nothing to do with the anti-parasitic medicine. It came…

Did President Joe Biden tell Pope Francis that the latter was a "famous African-American baseball player?" Yes, he did. Biden was setting up a metaphor about age. After the comment, Biden proceeded to tell the pope about Leroy "Satchel" Paige, a Negro leagues and major league pitcher who played professionally well into middle age. Biden used a quote from Paige…