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Rumors, legends, and stories about the news and those who cover it.
The New York Times printed its Sunday crossword puzzle that was questioned on social media for resembling a swastika shape.

Did NY Times Publish What Some Said Was a 'Swastika-Shaped' Crossword Puzzle?

Written by:
Jordan Liles
Dec 19, 2022 The puzzle's designer said that he was simply going for a "fun whirlpool shape."
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A fake tweet attributed to Elon Musk reads, 'You know, in some parts of the world, journalists get murdered for crossing the wrong people. Banning the reporters I don't like from my own platform feels like a pretty innocuous alternative to me.'

No, Musk Didn't Tweet That Banning Reporters Is 'Pretty Innocuous'

Written by:
David Emery
Dec 18, 2022 A fake tweet compared "banning reporters I don't like" to journalists being murdered in other co ...
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Did Welfare Officials Have No Problem With This 3-Year-Old Cigar Aficionado?

Written by:
Alex Kasprak
Dec 3, 2022 In 1928, a public welfare official allegedly found no reason to interfere with 3-year-old Bobby ...
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Matt Walsh did not tweet that taking advantage of a drunk girl is not rape.

Matt Walsh Never Tweeted 'Taking Advantage of a Drunk Girl Is Not Rape'

Written by:
Jordan Liles
Dec 2, 2022 We looked for the origins of a fake tweet that claimed the conservative commentator had shared h ...
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Elon Musk, owner of Twitter

No, CNN Didn't Say Musk Could Threaten Free Speech by Letting People Speak Freely

Written by:
David Emery
Nov 28, 2022 The parody headline was even shared — without disclaimer — by Elon Musk himself.
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Have Some Fun. Beat Your Wife Tonight.

Is This 'Beat Your Wife Tonight' Ad from the '70s Real?

Written by:
David Emery
Nov 12, 2022 There are so many "politically incorrect" vintage ads out there that it can be hard to tell the ...
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Did Kevin Bacon Change His Last Name to Appease Muslims?

Written by:
David Mikkelson
Apr 3, 2015 A multitude of stories exist that claim action was taken on something in order to appease a reli ...
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A meme titled nobody wants to work anymore was described as a brief history of capitalists complaining that nobody wants to work for starvation wages.

'Nobody Wants to Work Anymore' Meme Cites Real Newspaper Articles

Written by:
Jordan Liles
Jul 25, 2022 We looked for the origins of clippings from 14 articles that were publishe ...
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Tie, Accessories, Accessory

Did Tucker Carlson Call Dan Crenshaw ‘Eye-Patch McCain’?

Written by:
Madison Dapcevich
May 17, 2022 The supposed jab came after Fox News previously called out comedian Pete Davidson for a similar ...
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Tie, Accessories, Accessory

Were Clips of Tucker Carlson Being Aired on Russian TV?

Written by:
Nur Ibrahim
Feb 25, 2022 Russian state television translated numerous clips from the Fox News anchor in the U.S.
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Person, Human, Advertisement

Did Morgan Vague Lose to Greta Thunberg For 'Person of the Year'?

Written by:
Dan Evon
Nov 28, 2021 Can you lose something you were never nominated for?
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A headline said Missippi's literacy program shows improvement and claimed to be from the Associated Press in Mississippi.

Did AP Use the Spelling 'Missippi' in a Headline About Literacy?

Written by:
Jordan Liles
Oct 19, 2021 To learn more, we traveled back to the year 2005.
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CNN correspondent Brian Stelter deleted a tweet that said we are not a few steps from The Handmaid's Tale.

'Handmaid's Tale' Tweet Deleted from CNN Host Brian Stelter's Twitter Account

Written by:
Jordan Liles
Sep 2, 2021 The 2018 tweet was deleted within hours of when a 2021 Texas law went into effect that banned mo ...
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Microphone, Electrical Device, Person

Did Tucker Carlson Say This About Nebraska Man's Death to Stoke COVID Vaccine Fears?

Written by:
Jessica Lee
Aug 23, 2021 The claim appeared to stem from former U.S. Democratic Sen. Al Franken, who hasn't yet returned ...
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michael jackson and bruno mars

Is Michael Jackson the Biological Father of Bruno Mars?

Written by:
David Mikkelson
Dec 28, 2014 Don't believe this. Just watch.
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Rumors circulated in May 2021 that Merriam-Webster changed or expanded its definition of "anti-vaxxer" in 2021, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Did Merriam-Webster Change Definition of 'Anti-Vaxxer' Amid COVID-19?

Written by:
Dan MacGuill
May 13, 2021 The dictionary came under fire in May 2021, but did the claims against them check out?
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Comparisons to a recent attack on a woman in New York were made to the infamous Kitty Genovese case.

Was an Asian American Woman Attacked on NYC Street but No One Helped Her?

Written by:
Jessica Lee
Apr 5, 2021 The Internet likened a March 2021 assault near Times Square to the notorious death of Kitty Geno ...
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Was Dustin Diamond Charged with Murder After a Stabbing Victim Died?

Written by:
Snopes Staff
Jan 1, 2015 Has actor Dustin Diamond been charged with murder after stabbing a man at a bar?
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Did NPR Publish Article Describing Capitol Riot Before It Happened?

Written by:
Madison Dapcevich
Jan 11, 2021 The original headline went through at least two updates as the story developed.
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Did a Ship Reappear in the Bermuda Triangle 90 Years After Going Missing?

Written by:
David Mikkelson
May 19, 2015 Reports that the SS Cotopaxi was discovered by the Cuban Coast Guard decades after it vanished i ...
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