Fact Check: 2021 Year In Review

Another big year for election and pandemic disinformation.

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We all hoped that 2021 would be an improvement from the year before. But in terms of disinformation, the news cycle never sloowed down, In many ways it was a repeat of 2020—lots of disinformation related to the pandemic and election conspiracies. So, in 2021, The Dispatch Fact Check continued to work tirelessly on familiar forms of ddisinformation. Coronavirus and vaccine misinformation continued apace, and new conspiracies popped up in other areas like the events of January 6. We’ve assembled a list of some of the most significant (and strangest) pieces of disinformation of the year, and enter into the new year hoping to leave them all behind. 

Election Disinformation

The Dispatch Fact Check
Assessing the Various Claims in Mike Lindell’s ‘Absolute Proof’
Close to a month into Joe Biden’s presidency, Mike Lindell, CEO of MyPillow and a Donald Trump supporter, has released a two-hour documentary called Absolute Proof purporting to show that Trump won the 2020 election. The film premiered on February 5 and aired several times on One America News, w…
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2 years ago · 54 likes · 19 comments · Khaya Himmelman

 

The Dispatch Fact Check
Fact Checking Trump’s Claims From His Call With Brad Raffensperger
In a phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on Saturday, President Trump pleaded with Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to overturn the results of the election in Georgia, which Joe Biden won by 11,779 votes. The Washington Post…
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2 years ago · 52 likes · 85 comments · Khaya Himmelman
The Dispatch Fact Check
Fact Checking Donald Trump’s WSJ Letter to the Editor
On October 27, the Wall Street Journal published a letter to the editor from Donald Trump, responding to “Pennsylvania’s 2020 Election.” In it, Trump maintains that the 2020 election was “rigged.” The former president recycled familiar—and previously debunked—voter fraud claims to make his case…
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a year ago · 54 likes · 60 comments · Khaya Himmelman

 

The Dispatch Fact Check
Fact Checking Donald Trump’s Speech From the ‘Save America March’
Shortly before a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, President Trump gave a speech in front of a “Save America March” during which he went through a litany of familiar conspiracy theories and false voter-fraud allegations about…
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2 years ago · 35 likes · 5 comments · Khaya Himmelman

January 6 Disinformation

The Dispatch Fact Check
Were Antifa Supporters Among Those Who Overtook the Capitol Building?
Viral social media posts claimed that two prominent participants in the riot that overtook Capitol Hill Wednesday were actually leftists or Antifa members…
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2 years ago · 92 likes · 78 comments · Alec Dent
The Dispatch Fact Check
Debunking the Conspiracy Theories Claiming That Antifa Led the Attack on the Capitol
Following the storming of Capitol Hill by Trump supporters on Wednesday, many on the pro-Trump right attempted to shift blame for the attack to Antifa instead. Two connected conspiracy theories started to spread: one claiming that two men at the riot had been identified as leftists and Antifa members, the other…
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2 years ago · 156 likes · 123 comments · Alec Dent

 

The Dispatch Fact Check
Fact Checking Joe Biden’s Comment on the Death of Brian Sicknick
During a press conference after his meeting with Vladmir Putin on Wednesday, President Joe Biden was asked about Putin justifying crackdowns on political opposition by saying he didn’t want something like the January 6 attack on the Capitol to happen in Russia. Biden…
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a year ago · 17 likes · 20 comments · Alec Dent
The Dispatch Fact Check
Do Reports That Militia Members Planned to Storm the Capitol ‘Undermine’ the Case for Impeachment?
An article from PJ Media claims that “the Washington Post Admits Trump Did Not Incite the Capitol Riot” and that reports that some rioters planned their attack in advance “completely undermine[s] the entire case Democrats made for impeaching Trump.” As evidence, the article links to a recent…
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2 years ago · 28 likes · 15 comments · Alec Dent

COVID-19 Disinformation 

The Dispatch Fact Check
Could the mRNA Vaccines Permanently Alter DNA?
An article from The Defender, a news website that describes itself as “an online news site to evade official censorship, to report fact-based news and sponsor the kind of honest debate that terrifies the new generation of corporate and government commissars,” claims that scientific research suggests that coron…
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a year ago · 24 likes · 2 comments · Khaya Himmelman

 

The Dispatch Fact Check
Could the mRNA Vaccines Lead to an Increase in Neurodegenerative Disorders?
A viral Facebook post suggests that the messenger RNA vaccines produced by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna could lead to an increase in prion disease years from now. The post relies on a screenshot of a purported research article from J. Bart Classen, who writes that “we will see a rise in prion disease in …
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a year ago · 92 likes · 66 comments · Khaya Himmelman

  

The Dispatch Fact Check
Did the NIAID Fund Research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology?
During a Senate hearing on May 11, Sen. Rand Paul questioned Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, about whether the United States had provided funds to the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Fauci responded that “We do not send money now to the Wuhan Virol…
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a year ago · 94 likes · 80 comments · Alec Dent

 

The Dispatch Fact Check
Does the Pfizer/BioNTech Vaccine Contained Aborted Fetal Cells?
Following the release of a Project Veritas video interview with a Pfizer “whistleblower,” social media posts suggested that it revealed the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine contained aborted fetal cells…
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a year ago · 26 likes · 2 comments · Alec Dent

Weirdest Claims 

The Dispatch Fact Check
Is Donald Trump’s Christmas Card, Um, NSFW?
A viral image of what is purportedly former President Donald Trump’s Christmas card has been making the rounds on social media, as it shows Trump as … errrrr, well if real it would feature a major design flaw. (We normally embed tweets when relevant but these are what you call NSFW…
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9 months ago · 24 likes · 11 comments · Alec Dent
The Dispatch Fact Check
Did Nancy Pelosi Buy a $25 Million Mansion in Florida?
A viral social media post claims that Nancy Pelosi “bought a 25,000,000 mansion in Florida. The Instagram post shows a screenshot of a tweet, which has been shared more than 8,000 times, that claims: “Nancy Pelosi just bought a $25,000,000 mansion in Florida. Remember this the next time she criticizes…
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10 months ago · 20 likes · 7 comments · Khaya Himmelman
The Dispatch Fact Check
Has an International Court Issued a Warrant for Pope Francis’ Arrest?
A viral video claiming an international court had issued a warrant for Pope Francis’ arrest began spreading on Facebook over the weekend, with further videos, websites, and social media posts repeating that the International Common Law Court of Justice—based in Brussels, New York, and Vancouver—issued a w…
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a year ago · 27 likes · 32 comments · Alec Dent

 

The Dispatch Fact Check
Does Ivermectin Cause Sterility in 85 Percent of Men Who Use It?
Widely shared social media posts claim that ivermectin, an anti-parasitic medication that some are using to treat COVID-19 despite little evidence of efficacy, sterilizes 85 percent of men who use the drug. For context, the FDA has warned against using ivermectin to treat COVID-19…
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a year ago · 11 likes · 13 comments · Khaya Himmelman

 

Most Repeated Claims 

The Dispatch Fact Check
Did Maricopa County ‘Delete All Records Used for Election Results’?
In response to the recent release of the results of the Republican-led Maricopa County “audit,” a widely shared tweet claims that “Someone from @maricopacounty intentionally went into the system and chose to delete all records used for election results…
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a year ago · 21 likes · 5 comments · Khaya Himmelman

 

The Dispatch Fact Check
Did the Maricopa County Audit Find 17,322 Duplicate Ballots?
After the results of Maricopa County’s unofficial election review were released last week, baseless rumors about alleged election fraud have been circulating on social media. A popular Instagram post, for example, claims that “over 17,000 duplicate ballots were found JUST in Maricopa count…
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a year ago · 25 likes · 24 comments · Khaya Himmelman
The Dispatch Fact Check
Did Pennsylvania Receive More Mail-In Ballots Than Were Sent Out?
Widely shared social media posts are once again spreading a recycled voter fraud claim about Pennsylvania mail-in votes. The posts claim that Pennsylvania sent out 1,823,143 mail-votes, but got back 2,589,242 votes…
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a year ago · 25 likes · 6 comments · Khaya Himmelman
The Dispatch Fact Check
Has Michigan Authorized a Forensic Audit of the 2020 Election?
Widely shared social media posts claim that Michigan has authorized “a forensic audit” of the 2020 presidential election. One Facebook post reads: “After a preliminary audit of Dominion machines in Antrim County turned up MAJOR fraud Michigan now wants a full forensic audit…
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a year ago · 18 likes · 2 comments · Khaya Himmelman

 

Biggest Whoppers 

The Dispatch Fact Check
Fact-Checking Biden’s Latest Statements on the Afghanistan Withdrawal
On Friday, President Joe Biden delivered a speech on the effort to evacuate Americans and our Afghan allies from Afghanistan. During his speech, Biden made false claims about the presence of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and the safety of Americans attempting to evacuate the country through its capital city of Kabu…
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a year ago · 103 likes · 147 comments · Alec Dent and Khaya Himmelman
The Dispatch Fact Check
Did All Americans Who Wanted to Evacuate Afghanistan Get Out?
During an interview with News Channel 9 on September 3, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer claimed “the Americans, all of whom wanted to come out [of Afghanistan], have come out.” Schumer’s comments came just a few days after President Joe Biden said…
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a year ago · 17 likes · 14 comments · Alec Dent

 

The Dispatch Fact Check
Fact Checking Xavier Becerra’s Claim That He ‘Never Sued Any Nuns’
During his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, President Joe Biden’s nominee for health and human services secretary, Xavier Becerra—the attorney general of California since 2017—claimed that he “never sued any nuns” in response to a question about litigation against the Little Sisters of the Poor. Becerra f…
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2 years ago · 73 likes · 110 comments · Alec Dent

 

The Dispatch Fact Check
Fact Checking Joe Biden’s Address to Congress
President Joe Biden addressed a joint session of Congress last Wednesday. During his speech, the president made a number of misleading and inaccurate statements. Here’s a breakdown of Biden’s falsehoods: While discussing the state of the economy, Biden took a moment to criticize the tax cuts passed by his predecess…
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a year ago · 16 likes · 7 comments · Alec Dent and Khaya Himmelman

 

The Dispatch Fact Check
Are the Taliban and the Haqqani Network ‘Separate Entities’?
On August 27, during a State Department briefing on Afghanistan, State Department spokesman Ned Price was asked if the State Department’s security “coordination” on security with the Taliban “extends to members of the Haqqani Network.” In …
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a year ago · 26 likes · 4 comments · Khaya Himmelman

 

Non-Sequiturs 

The Dispatch Fact Check
Does a Pfizer Ad Tell Kids the Vaccine Will Give Them Superpowers?
“PURE EVIL: Disturbing Pfizer Ad Tells Kids They’ll Get Superpowers from COVID Jab (VIDEO).” Or so claims the headline of this story from misinformation peddler the Gateway Pundit. The article focuses on a video recently released by Pfizer, in which children talk about “getting ready to fight COVID” by getting their coronavirus vaccines. “All of us want…
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10 months ago · 25 likes · 21 comments · Alec Dent

 

The Dispatch Fact Check
Did Legislation Passed in 1871 Make Washington, D.C., a Foreign Entity?
Joe Biden’s inauguration has not stopped people from falsely claiming that Donald Trump is actually still in power. One theory spreading on social media suggests that in 1871, Congress passed legislation that formed the “Corporation of the United States of America” and made Washington, D.C., a foreign entity under…
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2 years ago · 24 likes · 24 comments · Khaya Himmelman

 

The Dispatch Fact Check
Did President Biden Joke About Running Over a Reporter in a Car?
A number of viral social media posts claim that President Joe Biden said he would answer a question about Israel from a reporter only if she got “in front of the car” as he stepped on the gas. Some posts more generally referenced Biden saying he would run over a journalist…
Read more
a year ago · 22 likes · 6 comments · Alec Dent
The Dispatch Fact Check
Has an International Court Issued a Warrant for Pope Francis’ Arrest?
A viral video claiming an international court had issued a warrant for Pope Francis’ arrest began spreading on Facebook over the weekend, with further videos, websites, and social media posts repeating that the International Common Law Court of Justice—based in Brussels, New York, and Vancouver—issued a w…
Read more
a year ago · 27 likes · 32 comments · Alec Dent
The Dispatch Fact Check
Was President Macron Covered in Garlands in French Polynesia?
A viral tweet claims to show French President Emmanuel Macron covered in floral garlands that he received upon his arrival in French Polynesia…
Read more
a year ago · 36 likes · 15 comments · Alec Dent

 

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Comments (26)
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  1. Avatar photo
    Ben Connelly

    Perfect picture to caption this year in review! Thanks for your hard work this past year. If I’d thought of it sooner I’d say it would be funny to do a fake fact check of Dave Barry’s Year in Review.

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  2. Avatar photo
    Jerrymasters7vwp

    Because you checked, I didn't need to.
    I'm grateful for not having to spend any time on stuff about which both my grandmothers would have known better than to have bothered with.
    Bravo TD.

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  3. Avatar photo
    BikerChick

    I had to look up the difference between disinformation and misinformation. Intent to mislead (dis) is the difference between the two.

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    1. Avatar photo
      Mike B

      I almost wrote "mis/disinformation" in a comment but it seemed awkward so I settled for dis.

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      1. Avatar photo
        Man-Eating Cow

        Misinformation is a lot easier to cure, so it's appropriate to focus on disinformation.

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  4. Avatar photo
    Dave K

    It really is sad how many of these ludicrous stories get accepted and passed on by so many people. I spent much of 2020 debunking facebook posts for someone close to me me, yet after about the 10th or 12th time I showed it was false, she still kept believing several of them. When you want something to be true, I guess you just believe it no matter the facts.

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    1. Avatar photo
      BikerChick

      You're tenacious. I would "hide" that person and say to myself "can't cure stupid."

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      1. Avatar photo
        Unity von Centrist McUnifier®

        BikerChick, as a completely frivolous aside, I like your new profile picture. Supercute hairstyle.

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      2. Avatar photo
        Man-Eating Cow

        There's one "conservate" website that used to be pretty good, pre-Trump, where I can still sometimes find clever sayings and amusing memes. However, I took to blocking anyone who posted antivaccination memes or praise for invermectin, or who used the word "cuckservative" non-ironically, or who insisted on calling Senator Romney "Pierre Delicto", just because life is too short.

        As a result, when I visit the site, about two-thirds of comments are blocked. Sad.

        I have a tradition of unblocking everyone I've blocked anywhere on the Web on New Year's Day, on the theory that everyone deserves a second chance. I'm usually pretty busy the first couple weeks of January re-blocking those who prove they aren't yet ready for a second chance. There are some Disqus usernames I have unblocked and promptly re-block every year now for some years; another tradition of sorts.

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  5. Brian Gross

    @TheDispatch, there are multiple spelling/grammar issues in your introductory paragraph. Please review and correct.

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  6. James M. Labosky

    Great job folks!

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    J. Eric

    Thanks!

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  8. Avatar photo
    Monte

    Thanks for this email. I am signed to recieve The Fact Check and it was one of my favorite parts of The Dispatch.

    But, for some reason this email was the first Fact Check I've received in months. Any ideas why?

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    1. Avatar photo
      JohnM.

      Same here.

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      1. Avatar photo
        David Eggleston

        Me three.

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  9. Avatar photo
    Man-Eating Cow

    Just got email confirmation of my annual renewal. Happy New Year to the whole Dispatch gang.

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  10. Avatar photo
    Azlefty

    At this rate, you are sure to run out of disinformation to debunk in the next few weeks.

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    1. Avatar photo
      Man-Eating Cow

      From your mouth to G-d's Ear. Alas, G-d seems very interested in leaving us to our own devices, from His keen interest in seeing what is really in our hearts and minds.

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