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It’s easy for misinformation to spread during times of crisis. And the COVID-19 pandemic has proved a fertile ground for false stories.
Stirring new grief for the family of a boy who committed suicide in 2017, people are sharing doctored images of the child in an apparent attempt to cast doubt on the coronavirus pandemic.
“Same little boy died of COVID-19 in three different countries,” a Facebook post says facetiously. “Still don’t believe the media is #fakenews?”
The post, which contains three screenshots of what appear to be portions of three different news reports, was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about PolitiFact’s partnership with Facebook.) The post was manipulated.
Does COVID-19 require a 27-foot distance?
No. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has maintained that people should keep a six-foot distance between each other. Check it out»
Are many South Carolinians violating shelter-at-home orders?
A supposed photo of South Carolina after stay-at-home orders is actually a 2017 shot of downtown Houston during rush hour. Read the fact-check»
Is a coronavirus home test on the way?
The Federal Drug Administration has not approved an Everywell home test kit for COVID-19. See why»
Old Trump video resurfaces out of context
In 2016, Trump urged supporters during a Nevada rally to vote in the presidential election even if their doctor recently gave them the “worst possible prognosis.” People are sharing the video to claim he was making the claim during the COVID-19 pandemic. Get the facts»
Alex Mahadevan is a senior multimedia reporter at MediaWise. He can be reached at amahadevan@poynter.org or on Twitter at @AlexMahadevan. Follow MediaWise on TikTok.
