|
|
|
|
A number of Conservative MPs, SNP MPs and journalists have claimed that the Liberal Democrats were the first party to campaign for an EU referendum.
It’s incorrect that they were the first party ever to do so, but to the best of our knowledge they were the first of the three major parties.
Similar claims were made in a Facebook post stating that Jo Swinson said this week she'd never forgive David Cameron for holding the 2016 referendum, despite saying in 2008 that the Liberal Democrats wanted an EU referendum.
It's correct that she said both of these things.
|
|
FACTCHECK
An article which picked up a lot of attention on Twitter last Friday claimed there was a large spike in "shorting" (a bet that the price of a particular share will fall in the near future) by hedge funds in the lead up to Boris Johnson becoming Conservative leader.
We can't find any such spike; this seems to be an error caused by looking at incomplete data.
|
|
FACTCHECK
Facebook deactivates Conservative Party ads
Last week we told you that a Conservative Party Facebook ad seemed to have altered a BBC News article. Our story made headlines around the world.
Facebook has since deactivated the ads, and has announced future safeguards to ensure publishers have control over the way their headlines appear.
But it can’t be left to US tech giants to set the rules for our next election. The government must implement emergency legislation to protect our next election from disinformation.
|
|
FACTCHECK
The same (since deactivated) Conservative Party ads also claimed that new education spending will be a “record” amount which is “levelling up per pupil funding across the country”.
It’s unclear exactly what the advert means by the term “record”.
Per pupil spending on schools in England is set to increase to roughly the level it was at in 2009/10. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has said that although this is a “large increase”, it won’t be a record within the last 20 years, and it still represents a squeeze on school budgets historically.
|
|
|
We all need clear, accurate information to make good choices on the issues that matter.
But right now, harmful online misinformation is able to go viral, fast. We need your help to make sure we can get to the bottom of the most harmful online claims as quickly as possible, so that everyone has access to the facts they deserve.
Will you fight for the truth online?
|
|
|
FACTCHECK
There’s been widespread coverage of the Prime Minister being confronted by a man whose sick baby daughter was being treated at Whipps Cross University Hospital. After it emerged the man was a Labour activist, some people on Twitter claimed he had been wearing a microphone during his encounter with the Prime Minister.
There's no evidence that he was, and the BBC and the Press Association who both filmed the interaction confirmed that they had not used a wireless radio microphone on Mr Salem.
|
|
FACTCHECK
An image on Facebook claims to show Diane Abbott tweeting that an Iraqi migrant was found off the coast of Luxembourg, a landlocked country.
This is incorrect. The image has been edited to say Luxembourg—the original tweet correctly reported that the migrant was found off the coast of Belgium.
A couple of clues point to the dubiousness of the image: the top uses Ms Abbott’s Twitter image and handle, but the bottom uses Facebook’s like and share buttons. And looking back at Ms Abbott's Twitter account, you can find a similarly-worded tweet referring to Belgium.
We've written before about how to spot misleading images.
|
|
EVENT
Are you a tech practitioner or academic with an interest in mis and disinformation?
You’re invited to join media leaders, academics, and speakers from the biggest tech institutions in the first Truth and Trust Online conference on 4-5 October at BMA House in London.
As a Full Fact contact, you’re eligible for a 50% discount on the ticket price using the code: LBRK0O8IHNPXCVLA
|
|
FACTCHECK
The Sunday Telegraph claimed that the government will introduce whole-life sentences for the first time for murderers of preschool children.
This isn’t correct. The proposal would mean more cases of child murderers being subject to life in prison, but it’s already possible for this to happen in limited cases.
The paper also incorrectly said the release of prisoners halfway through their sentence was introduced under Labour. It actually originated under the Conservatives.
|
|
FACTCHECK
A video that’s been shared over half a million times on Twitter and Facebook shows some sort of creature being pulled out of a green bell pepper. Sometimes the accompanying text claims it shows “the world’s tiniest poisonous snake” while another claims (in Portuguese) that it’s a worm that can infect and kill humans.
The video shows neither. An expert told us that it may be a nematode worm, but it is unlikely to be of any medical importance.
|
|
|
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend,
from everyone at Full Fact.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
