In July 2021, Misbar published 194 fact-checking articles.
Misinformation continued to circulate about COVID-19, such as whether or not the Delta variant makes you sicker, is the same as hay fever, and affects all ages; which came first, variants or vaccines; immigration and increased COVID cases; a door-to-door vaccination program; and vaccine-related deaths.
We wrote about MENA topics including Kaaba destruction in Fortnite; Iran sending fuel; a Lebanon TIME cover; Saudia Arabia peace plans and sale of Aramco; and an explosion at the Jebel Ali Port.
The Olympic Games Tokyo began in late July, leading to widespread discussion of athletics and athletes. Misbar covered Sha’Carri Richardson’s penalization for marijuana use; claims and tweets about transgender athletes; and “anti-sex” cardboard beds allegedly used at the games.
Billionaire space travel was a hot topic, from Richard Branson’s claim to space to Jeff Bezos’ wealth and rocket launch.
Social media users made fake or misleading claims about January 6 and its aftermath, including insurrectionist detainment; gun presence at the riot; Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, police testimony, and Capitol security; and the Ashli Babbitt shooting.
Misbar explored topics of the fascinating and bizarre, such as dead bodies in Lake Superior; a new species of Green Capybara; a disastrous slip n slide diarrhea outbreak; a suspiciously adorable albino bat; the birds aren’t real movement; Mama Bear’s sad demise in Shrek; feral cannibals in national parks; a doctored photo of President Joe Biden sniffing pop star Olivia Rodrigo; and whether celibacy is considered a disability.
For our July articles, fake was the most common finding, followed by misleading, and finally commotion.
The most common topics were news, health, and politics.
We also published blogs on topics including the June news overview; commercial space travel; January 6 and the GOP; and police misuse of imaging technology.
Misbar will continue to debunk fake news, confront false narratives, and advocate for transparency and truth in August.
