Ciara O'Rourke
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Freelance writer and editor, @PolitiFact contributing writer. Former @CU_CEJ Scripps fellow, @statesman, @seattlemet. RTs ≠ endorsements, Ciara = Keira.
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Articles by Ciara O'Rourke
When Jon Stewart took over ‘The Daily Show,’ satire became a trusted news source
This article is part of The Poynter 50, a series reflecting on 50 moments and people that shaped journalism over the past half-century — and continue to influence its future. As Poynter celebrates its 50th anniversary, we examine how the media landscape has evolved and what it means for the next era of news.
Cleveland Clinic didn’t say millions of people with COVID-19 vaccines will die within 5 years
The Cleveland Clinic is a large and well-respected medical center based in Cleveland, Ohio, so purported news that it’s warning millions of people will soon die following COVID-19 vaccination would draw attention. A March 28 Facebook post shared such a headline. “Cleveland Clinic: Millions of COVID-vaxxed will die within ‘5 years,’” the headline said. This Facebook post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed.
Website that regularly publishes false information goes after Democrats’ Wisconsin Supreme Court win
Democrat Susan Crawford beat the Republican candidate backed by President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk to secure a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and ensure a liberal majority on the state’s top court for several more years. A headline spreading on social media that says the election is under investigation originated on a website that publishes fabricated and sensational stories. "White Hats to investigate Wisconsin Supreme Court election," the April 2 headline said.
Ukraine President Zelenskyy didn’t buy a controlling stake in mining company, despite online claims
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy didn’t buy a controlling stake in a South Africa-based mining company, but a video spreading on social media could lead some users to believe otherwise.
Cleveland Clinic didn’t say millions of people with COVID-19 vaccines will die within 5 years
The Cleveland Clinic is a large and well-respected medical center based in Cleveland, Ohio, so purported news that it’s warning millions of people will soon die following COVID-19 vaccination would draw attention. A March 28 Facebook post shared such a headline. "Cleveland Clinic: Millions of COVID-vaxxed will die within ‘5 years,’" the headline said. This Facebook post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed.
Elon Musk didn’t offer $15 million to WNBA star Caitlin Clark
Caitlin Clark, a guard for the Indiana Fever WNBA team, regularly and falsely appears in unfounded social media posts connecting her to billionaire Elon Musk. In August 2024, Musk purportedly offered her a $10 million endorsement. In October 2024, posts said he had endorsed her and would soon "donate $10 million" to Clark because she was "the pride of America." Now, Facebook posts are claiming Musk offered her $15 million, and she said no.
Elon Musk didn’t target Trump’s golf trips in an X post about DOGE
Since his first term, President Donald Trump’s golf trips have drawn criticism from detractors. And a recent HuffPost analysis found that taxpayers have so far footed a bill of more than $26 million for such outings in his second term. But billionaire and White House adviser Elon Musk didn’t suggest on X that the Department of Government Efficiency had inadvertently identified Trump as the source of fiscal waste. "Unbelievable," reads what looks like a March 16 screenshot of a Musk post.
Fabricated image of Pope Francis greeting a purported Church of Satan priest spreads online
An image of what looks like Pope Francis grinning and gripping the hand of someone wearing a pale mask, clad in a red cloak, is circulating on social media with a caption that lacks context. "Pope Francis, shaking the hand of the priest of the Church of Satan... ‘God does not reject anyone,’" a March 30 Facebook post said. It was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed.
No, AOC is not cashing grandmother’s Social Security checks, this is satire
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., didn’t glibly dismiss news that her family had been receiving improper Social Security payments on behalf of a deceased relative. That’s because this purported news originated on a self-described satire site. "AOC has no excuse for why her family has been cashing her dead grandmother’s Social Security checks for a decade and a half: ‘We must have just overlooked it,’" an April 3 Facebook post said.
Video shows Danish lawmakers laughing at prime minister, not at Trump’s Greenland remarks
During President Donald Trump’s March 4 address to a joint session of Congress, he addressed "the incredible people of Greenland." "We strongly support your right to determine your own future," he said. "And if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America. We need Greenland for national security and even international security. And we’re working with everybody involved to try and get it. But we need it really for international world security. And I think we’re going to get it.
This isn’t a real Truth Social post from Trump about ending dual citizenship
U.S. law allows Americans to hold citizenship in other countries, "whether by birth, descent, naturalization or other form of acquisition," the State Department’s website says. But an image of a purported Truth Social post from President Donald Trump might leave some social media users wondering whether that right is threatened.
Retired boxer Laila Ali didn’t die giving birth. She wasn’t pregnant, and she’s alive
Laila Ali, a retired professional boxer and daughter of the late boxing legend Muhammad Ali, is alive. But a death hoax about her purported passing spread widely enough online that she felt compelled to correct the record. "I’m fine, I’m healthy," she said in a March 30 video posted on her verified Facebook page. She then referred to the rumor that’s drawing attention in other Facebook posts.
This police officer isn’t in danger, but your personal information might be; these posts are scams
A woman in a uniform, gold badge gleaming, stares out of Facebook posts shared across the country warning that she’s missing, and maybe in danger. "FEMALE POLICE OFFICER MISSING in Winnemucca," reads one such March 28 post, shared in a group for people to buy, sell and trade belongings in Winnemucca, Nevada. "Be on the look out, the police need help in locating female police officer KATIE CUNNINGHAM (28) who went missing yesterday morning.
Myanmar quake affected Thailand, but these photos predate that
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info If Your Time is short One image showed a March 2011 tsunami in Japan. Another showed 2024 flooding in Spain. Others showed recent flooding in Argentina. A 7.7-magnitude earthquake rattled Myanmar on March 28, killing thousands and affecting people as far away as Bangkok, Thailand, where a tall building under construction collapsed.
Don’t fall for unfounded claims about Elon Musk urging to boycott ‘The View’
Over the course of the past year, billionaire businessman-turned-White House adviser Elon Musk purportedly, in this order, took over the ABC talk show "The View" and fired its co-hosts, sued "The View" and co-host Whoopi Goldberg for $60 million, called for a ban on the show, sued "The View" and Goldberg again, this time for $70 million, and publicly campaigned to "terminate" the show. Why he would sue his own show, or campaign to end it instead of just doing so, is unclear.
Plastic surgery crime story originated on a self-described satire site
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info “Man gets plastic surgery and name change to date his ex-girlfriend after she obtains a restraining order.” Facebook Fact-checks Viral image If Your Time is short This story is fabricated and originated on a self-described satire site.
Marjorie Taylor Greene didn’t author this X post about incest. This is fake
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., has a reputation as a staunch anti-abortion advocate, but claims are wrong that she posted on X that she opposes abortion exceptions for incest because she was the product of such a relationship. "I AM AN UNAPOLOGETIC PRO-LIFE CHRISTIAN AND I AM AGAINST ABORTION NO MATTER WHAT," read what looked like a screenshot of an Oct. 4, 2021, X post from Greene’s @mtgreenee account.
Fact-checkers face intimidation in Eastern Europe as USAID cuts embolden authoritarian tactics
Milijana Rogač was walking to work in late February when she got a push notification from a local tabloid reporting that police were raiding the offices of several Serbian civil society organizations. Among them: her own office at the Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability, where she works as executive editor of the fact-checking outlet Istinomer. When Rogač texted her colleagues for confirmation, they said no police were at the office in Belgrade.
No, Ilhan Omar wasn’t just removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee
A Republican-controlled House voted in 2023 to remove U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., from her post on the Foreign Affairs Committee. Two years later, it’s purportedly happening again. "Breaking news: Rep. Ilhan Omar has been removed from the House Foreign Affairs Committee," a Feb. 19 Instagram post said. It showed a C-SPAN clip reflecting that 218 Republicans had voted to oust Omar from the committee, while 211 Democrats voted against dispatching her.
No, this isn’t an authentic X post from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote on X, “In my first 6 months as HHS secretary … I’ll ban chemtrails.” Public Health Facebook Fact-checks Viral image U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F.
No, former first daughter Malia Obama didn’t get $2.2 million from USAID
The U.S. Agency for International Development has come under scrutiny since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, but claims the USAID benefitted a former first daughter are unfounded. "Can someone explain why Malia Obama received $2.2 million in funds from USAID? Enquiring, taxpaying minds want to know," read the text flanking an image of former President Barack Obama’s oldest daughter, Malia Obama. "Oh the corruption," said a Feb. 20 Instagram post that shared the image.
No, Pope Francis wasn’t dead as of Feb. 23
If Your Time is short Pope Francis was alive as of Feb. 24, 2025, though he remained hospitalized in critical condition. Pope Francis is battling pneumonia in both lungs and remains hospitalized in critical condition, but social media claims that he died as of Feb. 23 are unfounded. "Fallece el Papa Francisco a los 88 años," a Feb. 23 Facebook post said.
No, this old news footage doesn’t prove former President Barack Obama wasn’t U.S.-born
Almost a decade after Joe Arpaio, then sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, hosted a news conference to further and falsely cast doubt on former President Barack Obama’s citizenship, some social media posts are reframing the event as new news. "Wow! About time!" a Feb. 19 Facebook post said.
No, Luigi Mangione didn’t post this Napoleon Bonaparte quote
Luigi Mangione, who’s facing first-degree murder charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, appeared in court Feb. 21 in Manhattan, chained and wearing a bulletproof vest, before returning to the federal facility in Brooklyn where he’s being detained. He was taken into custody Dec. 19. And there’s no evidence he has posted on X since well before then.
No, this isn’t an authentic X post from Elon Musk calling to imprison protesters
As thousands of people across the country protested President Donald Trump on Feb. 17, some of the demonstrations featured signs criticizing Trump adviser Elon Musk. "No one voted for Elon Musk," one sign said at a New York City protest. On X, it looked like Musk, the platform’s owner, had a snarky response. "Spoiled crybabies across the country are protesting against America’s golden age. Brats like them should go to prison," reads what looks like a Feb. 17 X post from Musk.
No, this isn’t an authentic video of Barron Trump on ‘America’s Got Talent’
President Donald Trump’s youngest son, Barron Trump, is famously private, rarely making public statements, much less appearing on NBC’s reality show "America’s Got Talent." But recent social media posts shared a purported video of Trump, 18, performing on the show. "We believe in Jesus, the truth and the way," Trump appears to sing. A Feb.
Claims about a judge declaring Joe Biden’s pardons unconstitutional started on a satire page
Before he left office on Jan. 20, former President Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons for public figures including former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., and Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who were members of the U.S. House Select Committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol; retired U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley; and former White House medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci.
No, Barron Trump didn’t say this about ‘uncovering a dark legacy’
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info Says Barron Trump posted on X, “We’re on the brink of uncovering a dark legacy in this country that’s been hidden for far too long.” Facebook Fact-checks Instagram posts If Your Time is short This post isn’t from President Donald Trump’s youngest son.
AI-generated video of celebrities in anti-Kanye shirts spreads online
A Super Bowl commercial from Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, directed people to his online store, which was selling only one item: a T-shirt with a swastika. The stunt drew condemnation, but a video purportedly showing celebrities donning shirts criticizing Ye in response wasn’t authentic.
No, this isn’t an authentic photo of Claudia Sheinbaum wearing a hat riffing on MAGA
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info Photo shows Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wearing a “Make America Mexicana Again” hat. Facebook Fact-checks Viral image If Your Time is short This isn’t an authentic image of the Mexican president. A watermark on some versions of the image signaled it was created using artificial intelligence.
No, FBI nominee Kash Patel didn’t say the FBI found 256 emails between Adam Schiff, Jeffrey Epstein
Kash Patel, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, has said he’ll work with Congress to investigate accomplices of Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in custody in 2019. But claims Patel said that the FBI has uncovered a trove of emails between Epstein and U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., trace back to not one, but two sources of self-described satire. "BREAKING," a screenshot in a Feb. 10 Instagram post said.
No, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum didn’t say this to Donald Trump about a border wall
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum recently responded sarcastically to President Donald Trump declaring the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. Sheinbaum proposed renaming North America "Américana Mexicana." She didn’t chastise Americans for not knowing geography, or say that the U.S. economy would collapse, as recent Facebook posts claim. But a supposed screed from Sheinbaum to Trump is circulating social media. "So, you voted to build a wall," a Feb. 9 Facebook post quoted Sheinbaum saying.
No, the military didn’t arrest a former USDA inspector general
Former U.S. Department of Agriculture Inspector General Phyllis Fong was fired in January, after 22 years on the job, when the Trump administration dismissed such watchdogs for at least 18 federal agencies. But claims that the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps then arrested Fong are inaccurate. "JAG arrests nasty, vicious, un-American USDA Inspector General Phyllis Fong after she gets kicked out of office," a Feb. 3 Facebook post said.
No, this isn’t footage of fans booing Donald Trump at the 2025 Super Bowl
President Donald Trump attended the Feb. 9 Super Bowl at New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome. About five years earlier, during his first term, Trump also watched the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship in the Superdome. Footage of the president and first lady Melania Trump on the field is spreading on social media with the claim it shows the crowd booing them at the Super Bowl. But the clip is old and altered. "Trump gets booed at the superbowl," a Feb. 9 Threads post said.
No, Warren didn't say citizens don’t have the right to know what the government spends money on
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., has criticized President Donad Trump adviser Elon Musk’s access to the federal payment system. But a purported quote attributed to Warren about who can see what the government spends money on isn’t authentic. "There is nothing in the Constitution that says ordinary citizens have a right to see what we spend our tax dollars on," a quote in a Feb. 9 Facebook post said. It’s attributed to Warren on Jan. 30, 2025.
No, this isn’t a photo of someone giving President Donald Trump the finger at the 2025 Super Bowl
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info Photo shows someone raising two middle fingers at President Donald Trump at the 2025 Super Bowl. Sports Facebook Fact-checks Viral image President Donald Trump became the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl on Feb. 9. He watched from a suite at New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome, where the Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.
No, this webpage isn’t evidence of the Trump team ‘trolling’ Kamala Harris
A screenshot of a website for "The Office of Kamala D. Harris" is getting a slow clap on social media as an example of President Donald Trump’s White House pillorying the previous administration. "The White House team deserves an award for their trolling abilities," a Jan. 31 Instagram post said, sharing an image of an error page for "The Office of Kamala D.
No, Elon Musk didn’t say Italians, Japanese should stay in their respective countries
Entrepreneur Elon Musk, now an adviser to President Donald Trump, has echoed the administration’s talking points criticizing undocumented immigrants, but claims he said Italians and Japanese should stay in their respective countries overreach. "Elon Musk says Italians should stay in Italy and the Japanese in Japan," a Jan. 28 Threads post said. "Then why the hell is this white European South African in North America?" Musk is a South African-born immigrant.
Unfounded claims that plane crashes were human sacrifices for the Super Bowl spread online
Drawing connections between numbers, symbols and snakes, some social media posts claim without evidence that recent plane crashes in the United States were human sacrifices for the Feb. 9 Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. "On January 26, 2020, Kobe Bryant’s helicopter crashed, and then we were hit with a global ‘pandemic,’" a Jan. 31 Instagram post said, referring to the fatal crash that killed Basketball Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant.
No fishy food bill: Elon Musk didn’t say Pentagon spent $600 million annually on sushi
Social media claims about the Pentagon spending $600 million annually on sushi don’t pass the smell test. But some users continue to credit such a report to entrepreneur Elon Musk, whom President Donald Trump empowered to head the Department of Government Efficiency, a government waste-targeting advisory board. "Good morning X!" text in an image posted Feb. 3 on Facebook said, with the caption "Elon Musk report." "My experience with DOGE has been totally wild so far.
This isn’t an authentic video of RFK Jr. promoting a diabetes cure
"Oh, God," Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears to say, sighing, at the beginning of a video spreading on social media. "I can’t believe I’m saying this. But I want every diabetic including you to know this." He goes on to make a claim about a purported diabetes cure. But there is no such cure, and the video is altered. A Jan. 27 Facebook post sharing it was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed.
Altered video appears to show RFK Jr. promoting diabetes cure
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s health secretary nominee, recently made false statements about U.S. diabetes rates, but a video that appears to show him promising a cure for the disease was altered. "If I were to die tomorrow, I’d want every diabetic, including you, to know this," Kennedy appears to say in the video.
No, U.S. skater Jon Maravilla wasn’t kept from boarding plane that collided with Army helicopter
American figure skaters, coaches and family members were aboard the American Airlines flight that collided Jan. 29 with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington D.C. They were returning from an event in Wichita, Kansas, U.S. Figure Skating said in a Jan. 30 statement. Some social media posts have claimed that one American skater, Jon Maravilla, would have been on that flight were it not for a problem with his pet.
No, this isn’t video of a missile crashing into a Philadelphia neighborhood
Seven people died after a Learjet crashed Jan. 31 in Philadelphia, including six aboard the plane and one on the ground. Two dozen more were injured, and the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating. But some social media posts claim it was a missile, not a jet, captured hurtling toward the ground in a video shared online. "It’s a missile!!!!" reads text over the video that shows something white crashing to the ground and exploding.
No, Karoline Leavitt didn’t invoke Jesus Christ in response to a tariffs question
At a Jan. 31 White House press briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt fielded multiple questions about the tariffs President Donald Trump has threatened against Mexico and Canada. But she didn’t respond to one of those questions by saying, "Remember, Jesus didn’t have electricity either and he did just fine." Some social media posts have claimed otherwise. They were flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed.
No, this video doesn’t show the Jan. 29 plane crash in Washington D.C.
An American Airlines flight collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter the night of Jan. 29, but a video that garnered more than 216,000 views doesn’t show it. "Airplane crash with hilocopter in washington dc," a Jan. 30 Facebook post said, misspelling "helicopter." The post included a video that showed a burning plane crashing on a highway. "The plane crashes just won’t end this year," Tagalog text over the video said.
No, Elon Musk didn’t ban pride content on X
X owner Elon Musk hasn’t said he’s blocking LGBTQ+ content from the social media platform, but recent social media posts claim otherwise. "Elon Musk shocks the world by blocking Pride on X forever: ‘Children must come first,’" a Jan. 28 Facebook post said. This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed.
An ICE tip line was not paused because of reports about Elon Musk. The claim started as satire.
Entrepreneur and South African native Elon Musk immigrated to the United States as a student in 1992 and became a U.S. citizen a decade later. But with the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign underway, social media users are spreading a rumor that so many people are reporting Musk’s immigration status to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that the agency was forced to shut down its tip line.
No, this video doesn’t show a North Carolina dam breaking Sept. 28, 2024
A dramatic video purporting to show a dam breaking in North Carolina on Sept. 28, 2024, uses footage from around the world to show a scene that never happened in the Tar Heel State. "Dam breaks in North Carolina right now," text says over the video. "September 28, 2024." A Jan. 14 Facebook post sharing the video said, "Dam failure in North Carolina causes unprecedented flooding right now," and used hashtags including "hurricanehelene." Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida on Sept. 26, 2024.
No, this Capitol rioter wasn’t killed after Trump pardoned her; she was never charged (or pardoned)
Days after President Donald Trump pardoned people convicted of crimes related to storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, one of the rioters was shot and killed during a traffic stop. But as social media users have discussed his death online, some have also spread misinformation about another person who participated in the Capitol attack. "Don’t forget the j6 pardon woman killed when she used her 2A rights with a shotgun while being served for eviction," a Jan. 29 Threads post said.
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