Hoaxes

Media 2022-04-04T14:21:04Z

I bust fake news for Snopes. Here's how I spot viral hoaxes, photoshops, 'deepfakes,' and misinformation.

With training and a careful eye, social media users can help stop the spread of false information — from convincing photoshops to video deepfakes.
Media 2022-03-24T15:03:39Z

I'm a fact-checker at Snopes, the internet's authority on viral hoaxes. Here's how I tell if news is fake.

My team covers stories like $1 million bounties on Vladimir Putin and "Ukrainian Army Cats." Discerning fact from fiction often takes a basic toolkit.
News 2021-06-24T17:53:21Z

A South African woman's story of giving birth to 10 babies at once was a hoax, government officials say

No hospitals in the Gauteng province of South Africa have any record of the decuplets being born, government officials said.
Tech 2020-04-27T11:44:30Z

WhatsApp says viral message forwarding is down 70% after it took steps to combat COVID-19 misinformation

Social media companies have had to scramble to combat misinformation, hoaxes, and conspiracy theories about the coronavirus.
Tech 2020-03-24T14:58:11Z

Instagram is targeting fake coronavirus news and finally taking disinformation and hoaxes seriously

Instagram is going after misinformation related to coronavirus, and promoting reputable sources like the World Health Organization instead.
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Retail 2020-03-17T14:53:00Z

A viral rumor about Costco toilet paper being recalled is a hoax

The rumors about Kirkland toilet paper are false. The product is not listed on the Costco website's list of recalls.
News 2019-03-08T10:54:02Z

YouTube has started showing fact-check cards debunking conspiracy theories and hoaxes

The feature is only available to a select number of Indian users at the moment, but YouTube says it will eventually be rolled out globally.
News 2019-03-01T17:54:44Z

Momo is actually just a creepy sculpture made by a Japanese special effects company

The sculpture "Mother Bird" was made by artist Keisuke Aisawa for the Japanese special-effects company Link Factory.
Tech 2019-02-11T19:03:00Z

Don't fall for the hoax: Facebook isn't restricting your News Feed to 26 friends

It's a fraud. But there is a trick you can use to see different posts in your feed.
News 2019-01-25T19:16:20Z

A 23-year-old allegedly called a hoax bomb threat in to easyJet to avoid seeing his parents

The student from Rennes allegedly made an anonymous call into easyJet, causing flight EZY4319 on January 18 to turn around and return to Lyon.
News 2019-01-23T18:55:11Z

No, Instagram isn't restricting your posts so that only 7% of your followers see them

Another day, another viral hoax about how social networks like Instagram operate.
News 2018-12-14T00:34:38Z

Bitcoin scammers are sending bomb threat emails to millions around the world, but authorities are confirming 'NO DEVICES have been found'

On Thursday, millions around the world received extortion emails demanding recipients send $20,000 in Bitcoin to a Bitcoin specific address.
News 2018-04-23T15:06:41Z

7 famous ghost stories that turned out to be total BS

Some of the most famous ghost stories in history can be easily debunked.
News 2018-04-03T22:46:48Z

Someone hacked a YouTube employee's Twitter account to spread misinformation about the shooting

Several people have been wounded and one woman is dead — and now hoaxes are spreading.
Science 2017-06-26T17:58:00Z

There's a fascinating new explanation for why fake news goes viral

A new study from researchers at Indiana University explores why fake news and hoaxes spread virally on social media sites like Twitter and Tumblr.
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Science 2016-09-11T20:00:00Z

10 scientific hoaxes that rocked the world

There's nothing like a good old-fashioned hoax to remind us to be a little skeptical of outrageous scientific claims.
Politics 2016-07-24T19:31:00Z

The story behind one of the weirdest political hoaxes in American history

VIDEO: Vote for Yetta and things will get betta.
Tech 2016-05-12T21:30:00Z

The thrilling story of a 'lost' Mayan city reveals how technology can haunt us

An astronomer says our excitement over the supposed discovery of an unexplored Mayan city exposes a fascinating flaw with modern society.
Play Icon A triangle pointing right. It indicates that this type of media can be played or that the linked content is playable. Tech 2016-04-13T14:18:07Z
Tech 2016-01-04T10:34:00Z

Mark Zuckerberg has debunked the rumour he's giving his fortune away to random Facebook users

Don't copy and paste that status — the Facebook CEO isn't giving you anything.
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