Misinformation
Google Will Start Letting You Know When You Can't Just Google It
A series of updates to the way search results are returned and prioritized aims to fight misinformation with content advisories.
How Russia’s Top Propagandist Foretold Putin's Justification For The Ukraine Invasion Through This Dramatic Film
“Putin’s chef” Yevgeny Prigozhin’s network of state media sites used commissioned Cameo videos from Donald Trump Jr. and Rudy Giuliani to publicize another film that reimagines Russia’s role in the 2016 election.
Google Maps Blocked Edits After People Falsely Claimed It Was Used to Coordinate Russian Air Strikes
Ukrainian-language accounts claimed edits targeted gas stations, schools, and hospitals in cities like Kyiv.
Meta Wouldn’t Tell Us How It Enforces Its Rules In VR, So We Ran A Test To Find Out
Facebook’s parent company declined to answer our questions about how it moderates content in VR, so we created a test Horizon World filled with content banned from Facebook and Instagram. Content moderators said the world was fine — until we told Meta’s PR team about it.
“Corrosive Communities”: How A Facebook Fight Over Wind Power Predicts the Future of Local Politics in America
In small towns around the country, wind turbines are doing something to the locals.
Crazy Days And Nights Readers Fear The Gossip Site Has Gone QAnon
“I don’t care about made up satanism or pedo rings… The very first post I read here was about Gary Busey trying to use gold doubloons as legitimate currency and tbh I would just like more of that please.”
Amazon Sellers Are Price Gouging Horse Dewormer Because People Want To Eat It
A $7 horse deworming treatment is commanding prices as high as $45 on Amazon thanks to unfounded claims that it is a cure for COVID.
The Co-Founder Of Snopes Wrote Dozens Of Plagiarized Articles For The Fact-Checking Site
“You can always take an existing article and rewrite it just enough to avoid copyright infringement."
YouTuber Summer McKeen Missed The Mark In Her Latest YouTube Vlog On Eating Disorders
In one part of this week's newsletter: A young influencer might have shared harmful information with her mostly young fans — and a psychologist and ED specialist gives her thoughts.
Selena Gomez Calls Out Facebook To "Take Action" Against Spread Of Misinformation About The COVID Vaccine
"So why do they still refuse to act?"
Telegram And Amazon Are Hosting Fake Vaccine Card Merchants
Fake vaccine card merchants are rampant on Telegram. Meanwhile, fake vaccine card listings continue to fall between the cracks on Amazon, despite a ban on them.
The Israeli–Palestinian Conflict Has Further Stoked Anti-Muslim Bias All The Way In India
The world's largest democracy has become a source of hate and lies about the violence in the Middle East.
Listen: My Boyfriend Is Taking Family Vacations With His Ex—Should I Be Suspicious?
“I don’t know that I have enough information to tell you to dump this man, but it sounds like your gut is telling you that something might be amiss here.”
Young Vietnamese Americans Say Their Parents Are Falling Prey To Conspiracy Videos
Doubt around vaccines and conspiracy theories have left young Vietnamese Americans scared for their parents’ safety. They’re begging social media companies to pay attention.
Why Do A Bunch Of Nigerian Twitter Influencers Want This Alleged Money Launderer To Go Free? They’re Being Paid.
Alex Saab may be extradited to the United States — but he has some unlikely allies.
Stop Freaking Out: You Probably Already Have Some Type Of Vaccine Passport
Schools, international travel, and military service — people in the US already have to prove they are vaccinated against many diseases.
Amazon Is Pushing Readers Down A "Rabbit Hole" Of Conspiracy Theories About The Coronavirus
Amazon is promoting COVID conspiracy books around the world.
Violent Protests Erupted In India. Then Calls For Police To Shoot The Protesters Went Viral On Twitter.
Twitter did not take “Shoot” off its trending topics for at least a couple of hours — after there was public outcry and after BuzzFeed News emailed asking for comment.
How “The Women For America First” Bus Tour Led To The Capitol Coup Attempt
The Women for America First cross-country tour spent the weeks before its Jan. 6 event spreading election lies and, on occasion, calling for violence.
WhatsApp Fueled A Global Misinformation Crisis. Now, It’s Stuck In One.
A new privacy policy will be delayed three months after people were confused about what it would mean.
This Pro-Trump YouTube Network Sprang Up Just After He Lost
A group of channels connected to the Epoch Times is pumping out hoaxes and lies without identifying their connections to the right-wing newspaper.
"Stop The Steal" Groups Are Still Flourishing On Facebook
Social media companies banned Trump, but not the groups he inspired.
QAnon Believers Were Part Of Mob That Stormed The Capitol
The collective delusion finally reached the level of violence it always threatened.
President Trump Just Used Social Media To Attempt A Coup
While violent supporters stormed the Capitol, Donald Trump cheered them on using the last tool he has: the internet.
Biden Has Vowed To Put Science First To Beat The Pandemic. That Won’t Be Enough.
"Following the science is necessary but not sufficient," said Matthew Seeger, a risk communication expert.
The Head Of Social Media For India's Ruling Party Uses Twitter To Spread Rumors And Lies. Twitter Just Applied A Warning Label To One Of His Tweets.
Critics have been asking American tech companies to apply the same standards to the rest of the world as they do to the US. It might finally be happening.
Facebook Knows That Adding Labels To Trump’s False Claims Does Little To Stop Their Spread
Internal data shows that labels on President Trump’s posts decrease reshares by about 8%. They still account for some of the most engaging posts on the platform.
The President Tweeted Something Bad Again
It was in all caps!
Here’s A Running List Of Debunked Postelection Rumors
Watch out for baseless claims of voter fraud.
A Bunch Of Lies Circulating Online Just Came Out Of Trump's Mouth
The US president repeated several claims that have already been shown to be false.
Republicans In Michigan Tried To Storm A Detroit Ballot Counting Room To Challenge The Process
Prompted by misinformation about hidden and fake ballots, Michigan residents sent callouts on Facebook for help to challenge the vote counting process.
The President And His Supporters Are Spreading False Claims About How The Votes Are Being Counted
There's no evidence for falsehoods designed to call into doubt the legitimacy of the election.
False Information About Voting In Pennsylvania Is Flooding The Internet
“The online misinformation has been relentless. Have never seen anything like this,” said one local official.
Here's A Running List Of False And Misleading Information About The Election
Watch out for images and videos being taken out of context.
Plunging Morale And Self-Congratulations: Inside Facebook The Day Before The Presidential Election
On the same day Facebook announced only 51% of its employees believed the social network was having a positive impact on the world, a vice president commended their efforts to prepare for the 2020 presidential election.
No, Trump Didn't Say "Good" In Response To A Question About Kids Separated From Their Parents At The Border
A clip from the debate shows that the president said "go ahead" to the moderator.
Thousands Of Women Have No Idea A Telegram Network Is Sharing Fake Nude Images Of Them
A new AI bot primarily spreading across Russia and Eastern Europe has created fake nude images of more than 680,000 women.
Facebook Banned An Alleged Russian Agent Spreading Disinformation About Joe Biden
Rudy Giuliani's pal Andriy Derkach has been kicked off “for violating our policy against the use of our platform by people engaged in election-focused influence operations,” Facebook said.
Twitter Just Stopped Blocking The Biden Article It Said It Would Block Yesterday
The company’s back-and-forth on its own policies has created outrage and confusion.
YouTube Just Announced A Partial QAnon Ban
The move comes after Facebook and Twitter enacted their own bans against the mass delusion.
Twitter Put A "Misleading" Warning On Trump's Tweet That He Could Not Get Or Spread COVID-19
The president has repeatedly claimed that he is immune to COVID-19. His doctors have not said when he last tested negative or if he is still on medication.
No, The Man Pictured With Charlie Kirk Isn’t A Whitmer Kidnapping Suspect
The photo went viral across social media, but the man in it is not associated with the plot to kidnap the Michigan governor.
No, That Trump Video Isn’t Green-Screened
Trump is actually standing outside the White House in his latest video.
Facebook Has Banned QAnon
The mass delusion had flourished on the social network for years before today's announcement.
Don't Fall For This Viral Conspiracy Claiming Trump Carried A Hidden Oxygen Tank On The Way To The Hospital
There are a lot of conspiracies going around about Trump's condition, including one that claimed he was wearing a hidden oxygen tank while heading to the hospital.
Here's A Running List Of False And Misleading Information About Trump's Coronavirus Diagnosis
One rumor suggested a Trump video was edited to cut out a cough, but six experts said they saw no definitive signs of manipulation.
Russia, Adderall, And Earpieces: We're Keeping A Running List Of False And Misleading Information About The First Presidential Debate
Watch out for documents taken out of context and narratives questioning Joe Biden's mental fitness.
Facebook Removed A Chinese Propaganda Network Targeting The Philippines, Southeast Asia, And The US
Content targeting Biden and Trump received almost no engagement.
Friends And Family Members Of QAnon Believers Are Going Through A “Surreal Goddamn Nightmare”
Almost 200 people told us what it’s been like to lose a loved one to the mass delusion. Here’s what they said.
Celebs Are Quitting Facebook And Instagram For A Day To Protest Hate Speech
Multiple celebrities announced they will "freeze" their Facebook and Instagram accounts on Wednesday to call for a change to Facebook's policies.
GOP Senate Nominee Jason Lewis Founded A Social Network Where People Promoted A Pro-Hitler Documentary
Galt let its community decide what was most important to them. This is what they chose.
Facebook Has Removed Fake Accounts From A Washington PR Firm And Russian Trolls
The fake pages, groups, and profiles tried to sow political chaos around the world.
Trump Staff Keep Spreading Manipulated Videos Of Joe Biden
“This is what happens when you corner a rat,” a spokesperson for Joe Biden told BuzzFeed News
The "Plandemic" Sequel Is Here. We Give It Zero Stars.
Bloated, confused, and filled with nonsense, Plandemic: Indoctornation goes where so many sequels have gone before.
Twitter Is Locking People Fact-Checking Trump Out Of Their Accounts
The people are not trying to spread coronavirus misinformation — but to fight against it.
Joe Biden, Elon Musk, And Barack Obama's Twitter Accounts Were Hacked In A Bitcoin Scam
Hackers took over some of Twitter's biggest accounts to solicit bitcoin on Wednesday.
Boompilled: Fireworks Conspiracy Theories Are Bursting Across The Internet
There's no evidence that the fireworks lighting up US cities are caused by anything other than oversupply and understimulation. That hasn't stopped the conspiracies.
Facebook And Instagram Will Let You Turn Off Political Ads
“For those of you who’ve already made up your minds and just want the election to be over, we hear you."
Twitter Says You Have To Read This Article Before You Tweet It
The feature will be tested on Android phones.
Coronavirus Contact Tracers Are Facing Death Threats And Comparisons To Nazis On Facebook And YouTube
"Contact tracers are the new Gestapo," one post said.
People Are Saying Police Brutality Protesters Are Being Paid, But They’re Citing A Satirical Website
The creator of ProtestJobs.com is mortified.
A Popular QAnon Twitter Account That Claims To Have Explosive DC Dirt Is Really Just A Random Italian Guy
"Greg Rubini" isn't the person he claims to be.
Facebook Will Begin Labeling Posts From State-Controlled Media
The social network also said it will start blocking some ads in the US starting later this summer.
After The "Plandemic" Video Went Viral In The US, It Was Exported To The Rest Of The World
The discredited video has been translated into more than a dozen languages and has spread across the non-English-speaking world.
Trump’s Campaign And Fox News Are Attacking A Twitter Employee Because They Think He Fact-Checked The President. They Have The Wrong Guy.
“No one person at Twitter is responsible for our policies,” a Twitter spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. “It's unfortunate to see individual employees targeted for company decisions.”
Twitter Fact-Checked A Trump Tweet For The First Time
Donald Trump said mail-in ballots are fraudulent. Twitter said that wasn't the case.
Facebook Is Taking Down Posts That Cause Imminent Harm — But Not Posts That Cause Inevitable Harm
The social media platform is siding with scientists to stop the spread of harmful misinformation about the pandemic. If it can do it now, why wasn't it doing it all along?
These Are The Fake Experts Pushing Pseudoscience And Conspiracy Theories About The Coronavirus Pandemic
A guide to the spin doctors and conspiracy theorists clogging up your social media feed.
Here’s Why Everyone On Facebook Is Talking About Woodstock And The Coronavirus
We are stardust. We are golden. And we've got to stop sharing unhelpful memes.
The "Plandemic" Video Has Exploded Online — And It Is Filled With Falsehoods
The slickly produced video has been viewed by millions, despite platforms' attempts to limit its spread.
This Doctor Is Suggesting COVID-19 Lockdowns Are A Conspiracy To Take Away Your Freedom
A viral video in which Dr. Annie Bukacek questions the severity of COVID-19 has given anti-lockdown activists across the country a sense of validation.
Past Coronavirus Research Grants Are Being Used To Smear Anthony Fauci
The National Institutes of Health has given millions of dollars to scientists studying coronaviruses. That funding didn't cause the COVID-19 pandemic.
We Will Never Agree On What Happened During The First Wave Of The Pandemic — And That Will Make It Harder To Survive The Second
The virus isn't just attacking our bodies — it's attacking our brains.
Here’s A Timeline Of How A Bill Gates Reddit AMA Turned Into A Coronavirus Vaccine Conspiracy
In less than a month, the baseless claim went from an obscure biohacking blog to the New York Post and RT.
The College Fix Was Founded To Fight Culture Wars On Campus, But Its Biggest Hit Is About The Coronavirus
“The danger is that many, many people will die if we just let nature take its course. That's the problem. We don't want people to die.”
A YouTube Video Accusing Dr. Anthony Fauci Of Being Part Of The Deep State Has Been Viewed Over 6 Million Times In A Week
The video also advises people to treat COVID-19 with vitamin C.
Instagram And YouTube Have Been Accused Of "Moral Failure" Over Coronavirus Conspiracy Sales
Social media platforms are facing criticism for allowing accounts to profit from product sales alongside wild conspiracy theories about the virus.
5G Conspiracy Theorists Are Using Fears About The Coronavirus To Make Money
For $350, they’ll sell you a USB stick they claim protects you from harmful 5G radiation and prevents infection from the coronavirus. (It doesn't.)
WhatsApp Is Imposing Stricter Limits On Forwarding Messages To Slow Down Coronavirus Misinformation
Once a message has been forwarded more than five times in total, it can now only be forwarded to one chat at a time.
Chinese Propaganda Is Trying To Paint The Country As A Leader In Coronavirus Response
“China’s larger strategic goals, under which all of this rolls up, are to convince the world and make the world feel comfortable in China’s ascendancy.”
Twitter Deleted Two Tweets From Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro For Spreading Coronavirus Misinformation
“What I have been hearing from people is that they want to work,” Bolsonaro said in one of the deleted videos.
Elon Musk Incorrectly Tweeted Children Are “Essentially Immune” From The Coronavirus. Twitter Said That’s Okay.
Musk's tweet that children were “essentially immune” from the coronavirus contradicted information from the CDC and scientific research.
YouTube Is Letting Millions Of People Watch Videos Promoting Misinformation About The Coronavirus
False claims that the virus is caused by 5G phone signals or can be treated with vitamin C are being widely viewed on the platform.
“I’m Not An Epidemiologist But…": The Rise Of The Coronavirus Influencers
What happens when Twitter engagement decides who’s in charge of the coronavirus public health crisis?
Don't Believe Those Texts That Say The Federal Government Is Going To Use The Stafford Act To Quarantine The United States
Impossible to trace and difficult to debunk, rumors of a national quarantine are nevertheless false.
Here's A Running List Of The Latest Hoaxes Spreading About The Coronavirus
Misinformation, hoaxes, and snake oil cures have all been rampant online since the outbreak of the coronavirus.
Chinese Diplomats Are Pushing Conspiracy Theories That The Coronavirus Didn't Originate In China
China’s English-language propaganda machine has finally found its way into the American digital feedback loop.
New York City Officials Say There Is No Shut Down Planned This Weekend Because Of The Coronavirus
There are no plans to shut down the city's roadways and subway, or to bring in the Army, in spite of false text messages you may have seen.
People On Nextdoor Are Freaking Out About Coronavirus
People on the local social media site are spreading falsehoods linking the virus to homelessness, eating meat, and not using tea tree oil as a sanitizer.
Here’s What You Need To Know About Air Purifiers And Coronavirus
Washing your hands and minimizing exposure to public spaces is a much more effective way of preventing contamination.
Trump's Biggest Supporters Think The Coronavirus Is A Deep State Plot
While Donald Trump has tasked Mike Pence with leading the country to safety.
India Is In The Middle Of A Coronavirus YouTube Frenzy, And It’s Going To Get People Killed
“There is a general sense of fear, so people look out for information — and YouTube becomes one of the places to look for it.”
Instagram Is Trying To Reroute People Clicking Into The #Coronavirus Hashtag To More Credible Sources
Facebook has also said it would conduct "proactive sweeps" in order to remove or block hashtags spreading misinformation on Instagram.
YouTube Has Been Cracking Down On Coronavirus Hoaxes, But They Are Still Going Viral
The video platform is doing better than many other social networking sites but still faces an uphill battle.
Shoddy Coronavirus Studies Are Going Viral And Stoking Panic
Scientists are rapidly posting findings about the new coronavirus outbreak online, accelerating the speed of scientific discoveries — and of misinformation.
A Site Tied To Steve Bannon Is Writing Fake News About The Coronavirus
Founded by an exiled billionaire and critic of the Chinese government, G News claimed without proof that China was prepared to admit the disease originated in its labs.
China Is Using Fears Of Online Misinformation About The Coronavirus To Arrest People
The Chinese government is fighting two viral outbreaks: one that has killed 132 people so far and another that has caused mass confusion online for millions more.
The Most Popular Facebook Content About Iran Right Now Isn’t Just Pro-Trump — It Was Posted By Him
Wrapping your head around the engagement Trump’s Iran-related Facebook posts are getting is almost impossible.
