President Joe Biden announced on April 25 that he would run for reelection in the 2024 campaign. In his video announcement and a speech later that day to a union group, Biden repeated several claims we’ve fact-checked before: The president claimed Republicans would cut Social Security for seniors, but proposals […]
Facts Check
Masking Has Minimal Effects on Respiratory System, Does Not Cause Long COVID
SciCheck Digest Long COVID is a collection of health problems caused by COVID-19 that remain or appear following the initial infection. It is implausible that face masks cause long COVID, contrary to claims made online. Mask use can temporarily cause discomfort, but physiological effects are not biologically meaningful. What evidence […]
We’re a Webby People’s Voice Winner
Thanks to our loyal readers who voted, FactCheck.org has won the 2023 Webby People’s Voice Award in the category for Websites and Mobile Sites: News & Politics. This is our 11th People’s Voice win since 2007, but our first since 2017. We appreciate the support of everyone who helped us […]
Posts Mislead on Rules for Guns at NRA Convention, Utah GOP Event
Quick Take The three-day National Rifle Association convention in Indianapolis allowed attendees to carry firearms, except for a two-hour period when former President Donald Trump and other leaders spoke in a hall secured by the Secret Service. Yet, social media posts from a Democratic advocacy group misleadingly claimed that “guns were […]
Dueling Ads: Trump and DeSantis on Social Security and Medicare
Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis both say they do not support cuts to Social Security. But dueling ads from super PACs supporting their presidential bids say past statements or actions suggest they once did, and therefore seniors should not trust them. Both Trump and DeSantis have, […]
FBI Access Request Is Not Evidence White House ‘Lied’ About Not Being ‘Involved’ in ‘Mar-a-Lago Raid’
Quick Take There’s no evidence the White House aided or had prior knowledge of the FBI’s search of Mar-a-Lago in August 2022. By law, the White House requested access for the FBI to review the classified documents that former President Donald Trump turned over seven months earlier. That doesn’t mean […]
No Evidence Excess Deaths Linked to Vaccines, Contrary to Claims Online
SciCheck Digest COVID-19 vaccines substantially reduce the risk of dying from COVID-19, and serious side effects are very rare. Excess deaths among working-age adults in 2021 and 2022 were driven by COVID-19 and other factors, not vaccination. Faulty logic underlies claims that vaccines caused mass disability and economic harm. How […]
The Facts on Manhattan Crime
The Republican-led House Judiciary Committee plans to hold a “field hearing” in Manhattan on April 17 to draw attention to “how Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s pro-crime, anti-victim policies have led to an increase in violent crime and a dangerous community for New York City residents.” Experts told us it […]
Bogus Claim Targets Bud Light Partnership with Transgender Influencer
Quick Take Bud Light partnered with a transgender social media influencer for a promotion during the NCAA March Madness tournament. Social media users responded with the false claim that the CEO of the company had resigned following a conservative backlash to the partnership. The claim originated in a fabricated article […]
Q&A on the Medication Abortion Court Rulings
More than half of abortions in the U.S. are medication abortions, done early in pregnancies. But less than a year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, federal court rulings have raised questions about the future availability of mifepristone, the first of the two-drug combination used in those abortions. […]