Accurate information is the foundation of a functioning democracy
A worldwide network of scientists sorting fact from fiction.
Our goal is to empower readers to discern trustworthy news.
Insights
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In most cases, electrifying cars reduces their emissions
Today, road transport is responsible for 15% of the world’s total CO2 emissions. If we replace fossil-fuel-powered combustion vehicles with…
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Climate change and its impacts on the water cycle; how can it increase both droughts and heavy downpours?
If your tap ran dry and stores closed down, where would you get your freshwater? Water is essential to human…
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From vibrant corals to white skeletons: climate change and looming existential threats to coral reefs
Coral reefs and their ecosystems serve important roles on Earth – they flourish with biodiversity, providing habitat to 25% of…
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Recent Reviews
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UnsupportedTattoos do carry some health risks, but there is currently insufficient evidence for the claim that tattoo ink causes cancer
Claim:
Tattoo ink contains heavy metals that cause cancer; a zeolite cure can remove these heavy metals from the body
Source: Instagram, Danica Walker, 2024-09-27 -
MisleadingOnly certified medical devices should be used to measure blood pressure, not unvalidated apps promoted on social media
Claim:
Blood pressure tracking apps can replace a cuff
Source: Facebook, Facebook user, 2024-04-08 -
IncorrectMass bird migration during Hurricane Helene triggers blue radar blooms, no evidence of weather modification by HAARP or NEXRAD
Claim:
Hurricane Helenes path and behavior could have been manipulated by NEXRAD frequency transmissions and/or HAARP
Source: Facebook, Social media users, 2024-09-30 -
InaccurateHurricane predictions aren’t perfect, but that does not ‘invalidate climate change theory’, contrary to Daily Wire claims
Claim:
There were no hurricanes this season even despite forecasts for a high activity, revealing a problem with climate change ‘theory’; it has been a light hurricane season.
Source: The Daily Wire, Matt Walsh, Ben Shapiro, 2024-09-10 -
InaccurateStudies show flu vaccine reduces risk of flu-related illness and hospitalization; benefits of flu vaccine outweigh its risks
Claim:
Flu shots don’t work, increase your risk of getting the flu, damage your immunity and nervous system
Source: Facebook, Silicon Valley Health Institute, Raymond Francis, 2017-11-16 -
InaccurateThe Pro Power Save will not cut electric bills, nor will any other scam device of its kind
Claim:
Every American can slash their electricity bill by 90% using this revolutionary technology (Pro Power Save).
Source: Facebook, Social media users, 2024-09-09
Analyses & Investigations
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Twitter/X fails to act on Doppelganger-related notices
it appears that X has left the network almost completely untouched: of the 663 tweets that were online as of the report’s publication on 4 September, 656 were still accessible as of 25 September.
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European Union: Sanctioned Russian media entities and individuals’ content accessible on Telegram
Report co-author: Saman Nazari, Alliance4EuropeThis report is the fifth in a series looking at major online platforms’ enforcement of EU…
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Fool me once: Russian Influence Operation Doppelganger continues on X and Facebook – French chapter
In order to reach its objectives, the influence operation attempts to make use of domestic news or context, often trying to frame the tweets in the context of larger French political debates.
News & events
press
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Wired Italia
On Facebook, Russian media don’t care about European sanctions
(translated from Italian) There are 52 pages and accounts of Russian media and individuals on Facebook, with a total of more than 3.9 million followers, which, despite having been sanctioned by the European Union after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, are still currently accessible to European citizens. This is according to a report published on July 31 by the Alliance for Europe and Science Feedback, two organizations that are part of the Counter Disinformation Network and specialize in analyzing online disinformation campaigns.
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Rolling Stone
How Elon Musk and X Became the Biggest Purveyors of Online Misinformation
Science Feedback released a study in March 2023 which found that 490 misinformation “superspreader” accounts posting viral false claims had enjoyed a 44 percent increase in engagement under the Musk regime.
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The New York Times
‘Convergence of Anger’ Drives Disinformation Around E.U. Elections
A report this week from two fact-checking groups, Newtral in Spain and Science Feedback in France, tracked false narratives in six languages that were linked to the farmer protests. There were unfounded claims that the European Union was deliberately destroying crop fields, forcing reductions in agricultural production and trying to replace farmers with A.I. robots. The claims appeared to resonate with audiences far more than general climate criticism did, researchers said.
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DPA (German Press Agency)
La banquise arctique en déclin depuis les années 80
« Il est important de comprendre que la glace de mer, en tant qu’indicateur du changement climatique, fluctue d’une année à l’autre », explique Stephen Bell, rédacteur scientifique pour le réseau international Climate Feedback, créé pour lutter contre la désinformation climatique.