In 2020, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases awarded 11 grants to scientists so they could investigate how and where infectious agents emerge from wildlife and cause illness in humans. Although the grants were reviewed and scored by groups of independent scientists prior to public disclosure of any outbreak, Republican Rep. […]
Facts Check
Military Equipment Traveling Back to U.S., Contrary to Social Media Posts
Quick Take A U.S. Army combat team recently completed its European deployment as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, a series of military exercises in support of NATO. The brigade has returned to Fort Hood, Texas, and its equipment will follow. But social media posts falsely claim the equipment shown in […]
What to Know About Trump-Era Bank Deregulation and Bank Failures
With the recent failure of two midsize banks, some Democrats have blamed deregulation championed by then-President Donald Trump in 2018. While the law did reduce oversight of small and midsize banks, experts are divided over whether deregulation in 2018 ultimately caused Signature and Silicon Valley Bank to collapse. Silicon Valley […]
What the Cochrane Review Says About Masks For COVID-19 — and What It Doesn’t
SciCheck Digest People online are touting the results of a Cochrane review to incorrectly claim that it shows masks “don’t work” against the coronavirus. But the primary conclusion of the review is that it’s uncertain from randomized controlled trials whether mask interventions in the community help slow the spread of […]
Posts Spread Unfounded Claims About Russia’s Use of COVID-19 Vaccines
SciCheck Digest Russia developed a COVID-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, in 2020. President Vladimir Putin has said he received three doses of the vaccine, and the government continues to urge Russians to get vaccinated against the disease. But social media posts falsely claimed Putin “ordered the destruction of all” COVID-19 vaccine […]
Explaining the Missing Context of Tucker Carlson’s Jan. 6 Presentation
Quick Take On Jan. 6, 2021, about 140 police officers were assaulted during the Capitol riot, and 326 participants — more than 100 armed with weapons — have been charged. But Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson has used recently released video from that day to misleadingly minimize the violence at the […]
Posts Fabricate Charge Against Bill Gates in Philippines
SciCheck Digest Social media posts make the unfounded claim that the Heinous Crimes Court in the Philippines issued a warrant for Bill Gates’ arrest for “‘premeditated murder’ linked to vaccine roll out.” That court no longer exists, and a spokesperson for Gates told us there is no warrant for his […]
Posts Make False Comparisons Between COVID-19 Immunity From Infections and Vaccines
SciCheck Digest Vaccination and infection both provide protective immunity to COVID-19, particularly against severe disease. But gaining immunity through infection is far riskier than vaccination. Posts citing a new Lancet study omit that important context and also misleadingly claim the study shows immunity after infection is superior to vaccination immunity. […]
Biden’s One-Sided Attack on Republican Budgeting
President Joe Biden has repeatedly tried to flip the script about the GOP claiming to be the party of fiscal responsibility, saying Republicans’ plans would add $3 trillion to the debt over the next decade. There are some Republican proposals that would add to the debt, but the most recent […]
Post Distorts History of Presidential Efforts to Fight Child Sex Trafficking
Quick Take Efforts to stop child sex trafficking in the U.S. have been underway for decades, led by presidents including Joe Biden. But an Instagram post makes the false claims that former President Donald Trump was the first to “acknowledge that children are being sold for sex in the U.S.” […]