Pew Says ‘Plandemic’ Theory Sowed Doubt in 25% of US
One-quarter of American adults believe the coronavirus pandemic was probably created intentionally as a way for powerful people to make money, the Pew Research Center reported Monday.
Read more
Fake News
Facebook Will Label Rule-Breaking Posts, Including Trump’s
In a reversal, Facebook says it will label all “newsworthy” content that violates its policies, including statements from President Donald Trump.
Read more
More Countries Pass ‘Fake News’ Laws in Pandemic Era
The Austria-based International Press Institute has tracked 16 countries that have passed new laws targeting misinformation about the coronavirus. THE
Read moreJournalists Challenge Puerto Rico’s ‘Fake News’ Law
Two journalists claim a Puerto Rican law, which makes it a crime to create a false alarm during a state of emergency, is so vague that it could be used to prosecute reporters for breaking news stories about the coronavirus outbreak.
Read more
Conspiracy Factory Already Spewing Lies About Coronavirus Vaccine
A coronavirus vaccine is still months or years away, but groups that peddle misinformation about immunizations are already taking aim, potentially eroding confidence in what could be humanity’s best chance to defeat the virus.
Read more
Misinformation Rampant in Online Protest Groups
Hundreds, sometimes thousands, of posts fly in the new Facebook groups daily. The coronavirus numbers are fake, some of the social media videos claim.
Read more
UN Chief Decries Misinformation Epidemic About Pandemic
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Tuesday that the world is facing “a dangerous epidemic of misinformation” about Covid-19 and announced a U.N. campaign to flood the internet with facts and science to counter what he called “a poison” that is putting lives at risk.
Read more
Disinformation Abounds on Coronavirus Relief Checks
Videos and online reports claiming that millions of Americans will have to repay the relief checks they receive from the federal government under the $2.2 trillion coronavirus economic recovery bill are not true.
Read moreHundreds Arrested for ‘Fake News’ in Asia
Hundreds of people have been arrested across Asia for posting purported false coronavirus information, deepening concerns that growing government efforts to combat “fake news” will target the wrong people and silence dissent.
Read more
Five Years in Russian Prison for Spreading False News on Virus
Russian lawmakers on Tuesday were to consider legislation imposing severe punishment — including up to five years in prison — for people convicted of spreading false information about the novel coronavirus.
Read moreSocial Media Focus Correlates With Coronavirus Apathy & Made-Up Stats
The Covid-19 pandemic has been dominating news airways, but a Wednesday study from the Pew Research Center says Americans who rely on social media for political coverage are not following virus news as closely as others.
Read more
California Voters Say No to Massive School Bond Measure
Californians in recent decades have gladly opened up the vault for education, including a $9 billion bond in 2016. But last week, voters shunned endorsements from business groups and Democratic leaders and rejected the largest proposed school construction bond in state history – and some wonder if a fake news blitz is to blame.
Read more
Spain Prosecutors File First Lawsuit Against ‘Fake News’
Spanish public prosecutors said Friday they have filed the country’s first lawsuit against the spread of ‘fake news’ which targets a woman who tweeted a video falsely claiming to show migrant children harassing a teacher in Spain.
Read more
Facebook Bans Ads With False Claims About New Virus
Facebook said Wednesday that it is banning ads that make false claims about products tied to the new coronavirus.
Read more
Tennessee Republicans Push Fake News Bill Targeting Post, CNN
A resolution condemning the Washington Post and CNN as fake news for allegedly saying support for President Donald Trump is cult-like passed a Tennessee General Assembly subcommittee on Tuesday.
Read moreSingapore Tells Facebook to Block Critical Site
Singapore on Monday ordered Facebook to block the page of an anti-government website in the city-state, the latest use of a law against online misinformation that critics say stifles free speech.
Read more
Instagram Pulls Account Impersonating US Government Agency
An Instagram account masquerading as a U.S. government news agency was used to promote misinformation about potential fallout from America’s targeted killing last week of Iran’s top general.
Read more
Burned Tigers, Rescued Kangaroos: Australia Bushfire Disinformation
Tiger burns in Australia’s bushfires? It’s a 2012 photo from Indonesia. Young girl rescues koala? Actually an artist’s impression. Social media is packed with powerful images of Australia’s bushfires — but many are fake.
Read more
Facebook Set to Ban Most ‘Deepfake’ Videos
On the eve of a congressional hearing on media manipulation and deception, Facebook said it will remove digitally manipulated videos – commonly called “deepfakes” – from its platform.
Read moreCarter Page’s Terror Claims Extinguished on Appeal
Sweeping his terror claims into the courthouse dustbin, the Second Circuit on Monday rejected claims from former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page that so-called fake news about him puts his personal safety at risk.
Read more