Debunking Viral Claims Archives - FactCheck.org (2024)

Immigrants who are lawfully living or authorized to work in the U.S. are eligible for a Social Security number and, in some cases, Social Security benefits. But viral posts make the false claim that “illegal immigrants” can receive Social Security numbers and retirement benefits, and they confuse two programs managed by the Social Security Administration.

During the April 8 eclipse, people in the path of totality were able to see solar phenomena, including the sun’s corona. But social media posts have shared altered or composite images of these phenomena, claiming one image was “captured by NASA.” It was actually an artist’s rendering of a composite photo of the 2017 eclipse.

O.J. Simpson, a football star who was acquitted in the murder of his ex-wife and her friend, died of cancer on April 10 at age 76. Misinformation spread online within hours of the news. Social media posts falsely claimed that the cancer was related to his COVID-19 vaccination. Simpson was vaccinated, but there is no evidence that vaccination causes cancer or that it was to blame for his death.

A claim on social media misrepresents the number of people who have registered to vote in three states in 2024 and suggeststhenew votersare immigrants in the country illegally.There have been 194,000 newly registered voters in those states — not 2 million —and there’s no evidence they are immigrants in the U.S. illegally.

Small amounts of aluminum have been used for many decades to strengthen the immune response to vaccines. Exposure to high levels of aluminum has been associated with brain and bone problems, but there is no evidence that the level of exposure provided by vaccines leads to such toxicity, contrary to social media claims.

Former President Donald Trump attended the wake for slain New York City Police Officer Jonathan Diller and met with his family. But social media posts make the unsupported claim that Trump paid off the family’s mortgage. A nonprofit announced it would pay the mortgage and told a news outlet it had no contact with Trump about the Diller mortgage.

Both Easter and the Transgender Day of Visibility happened to fall on March 31 this year. President Joe Biden recognized bothoccasions,as he has done every year in office.But somesocial media posts andconservative politicians characterized hisacknowledgement of Transgender Day of Visibility as“mocking” Easter and declaring “war” on Christianity.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, who won a civil fraud case against former President Donald Trump,has a net worth of about $2.7 million,her most recent financial disclosure statement shows. But social media postsbaselessly claim she’s worth $15 million.The claim appearsto come from a website that says it “cannot guarantee its accuracy.”

The Francis Scott Key Bridge near Baltimore collapsed after being hit by a cargo ship in the early morning on March 26. Although all evidence points to an accident, conspiracy theorists spread the baseless claim that it was intentionally caused by a “cyber-attack.” Officials have dismissed the claim.

Local governments are preparing residents for an influx of visitors during the April 8 solar eclipse that will be most visible along a narrow path through the U.S., with one Oklahoma county inviting the National Guard for support. But social media posts baselessly claim the preparations suggest “something catastrophic” will occur during the eclipse.