Latest Fact Checks
View All →Viral claim about federal spending contains significant factual errors
A widely-shared graphic claiming federal discretionary spending doubled in three years misrepresents budget data by ignoring inflation adjustments and conflating discretionary with mandatory outlays. When corrected for inflation, real discretionary spending rose 11% over the period in question.
Studies do confirm link between processed foods and inflammation markers
Multiple peer-reviewed studies published since 2021 support this frequently disputed claim, though the causal mechanism remains under active investigation. The correlation between ultra-processed food consumption and elevated inflammatory biomarkers such as C-reactive protein is well-documented in the literature.
Jobs report figures cited out of context in viral social media posts
The numbers are technically accurate but cherry-pick a three-month window while omitting year-over-year comparisons that tell a different story. The posts reference seasonally unadjusted data for a quarter that historically shows weaker job creation, without disclosing that seasonal adjustment is standard practice.
No, the WHO did not reverse its position on natural immunity
Screenshots claiming a WHO reversal are taken from a 2020 document that has since been updated and superseded. The current WHO guidance says something meaningfully different. The original document was a preliminary draft published during early pandemic uncertainty, not a final policy position.
Claims about foreign election interference lack verifiable sourcing
While intelligence reports acknowledge general concerns about foreign influence operations, the specific statistics circulating online trace back to a single anonymous blog post with no disclosed methodology. We contacted five independent intelligence analysts — none could identify the original data source.
Crime statistic shared 200K times omits critical geographic context
The raw number is accurate but comparing cities of vastly different population sizes without per-capita adjustment produces a deeply misleading impression. Adjusting for population, the city with the "highest crime" in the viral post ranks 34th nationally. The post's framing also blends violent and property crime categories without distinction.
"Social Security will be completely bankrupt by 2030" — what the trustees actually project
This claim, shared over 340,000 times, misrepresents the Social Security trustees' report on two critical points: the projected depletion date is 2035, not 2030, and depletion of trust fund reserves does not mean zero benefits. Payroll tax revenue would continue funding approximately 83% of scheduled benefits.
Microplastics have been found in human blood — here is what the science says
A 2022 study published in Environment International confirmed microplastic particles in the blood of 77% of tested participants. The finding is real and well-documented. What remains contested is the health significance — no study has yet established a causal link between blood microplastics and specific disease outcomes in humans.
Media Literacy Guides
All Guides →How to Spot a Doctored Image
Reverse image search, metadata inspection, and shadow analysis can reveal manipulated photos in minutes. This guide covers Google Images, TinEye, and the InVID browser extension — and which tool works best for each situation.
Read Guide →Reading Past the Headline
Studies show 70% of people who share articles never read past the headline. We explain why that number matters, how headline writers exploit it, and the simple habit that makes you a far more accurate reader.
Read Guide →Tracing a Viral Claim to Its Source
Every misinformation story starts somewhere. We walk through the five-step process journalists use to trace any claim back to its origin — often discovering the original context completely changes the meaning.
Read Guide →Understanding Statistical Deception
Cherry-picking, base rate fallacy, and misleading chart axes are the most common ways numbers lie. Learn to recognize these techniques so you can evaluate any data-driven claim with confidence.
Read Guide →Cognitive Biases That Fool Everyone
Confirmation bias, anchoring, and the Dunning-Kruger effect affect how all of us evaluate claims — including trained researchers. Understanding these biases is the first step to overcoming them.
Read Guide →How to Evaluate Any News Source
Ownership, funding, editorial standards, and corrections policies — the checklist every reader needs. Includes a walkthrough of how to use Wikipedia as a source-verification tool rather than a reference.
Read Guide →