Category: Rumors and Misinformation

F.D.A. Attributes 10 Children’s Deaths to Covid Vaccines

The agency’s top vaccine regulator said that a review had found that the children were likely to have died “because of” the shots. But public health experts want to examine the data.
Right-Wing Chatbots Turbocharge America’s Political and Cultural Wars

Once pitched as dispassionate tools to answer your questions, A.I. chatbots are now programmed to reflect the biases of their creators.
A.I. Is Making Death Threats Way More Realistic

Online harassers are generating images and sounds that simulate their victims in violent situations.
Trump Rattles Vaccine Experts Over Aluminum

The president’s call for removal of the metal from childhood inoculations set off alarms. About half of shots for polio, whooping cough and other diseases would be affected.
The W.N.B.A Gets More Attention Now. That’s Not Always a Good Thing.

The league’s popularity has given rise to online sexism and racism — and misinformation that traffics in both.
Dolly Parton Addresses Health Fears After Sister’s Plea for Prayers

In a video post on social media, the country music superstar, who is 79, played down the recent health challenges that prompted her to delay her Las Vegas residency.
Kennedy’s Ties to Ally Leading Vaccine Lawsuits Raise Ethical Concerns

Aaron Siri is leading legal efforts on policies that dovetail with parts of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s government agenda.
Spam and Scams Proliferate in Facebook’s Political Ads

A new analysis of political advertisers found that the platform profits from ads that include deepfakes and other content prohibited by its own policies.
Russia, China and Iran Use Kirk’s Murder to Stoke Conspiracy Theories and Division

State media and online trolls have seized on the assassination to score geopolitical points against the United States, according to a new report.
F.D.A. Reviews Cases of Covid Vaccine Deaths

The agency plans to present accounts of deaths involving children and birth defects to an influential C.D.C. panel meeting next week.
Russia Steps Up Disinformation Efforts as Trump Abandons Resistance

The Kremlin has begun a campaign to sway the parliamentary election in Moldova in what could become a new model of election interference online.
The Doctors Are Real, but the Sales Pitches Are Frauds

Scammers are using A.I. tools to make it look as if medical professionals are promoting dubious health care products.