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| We’re Tracking Hoaxes, Fake News and Other Election Misinformation | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Fake stories and memes that crop up during live news events have been a problem on social media for years, but a wild election season has highlighted the news media’s slow response to them. | Fake stories and memes that crop up during live news events have been a problem on social media for years, but a wild election season has highlighted the news media’s slow response to them. |
| Hoaxes often gurgle up from the bowels of Facebook, as shares from sites that claim to mix satire with the truth, like The Rightists, or sites that don’t seem to exist for any particular reason but to fool people, like one called The Denver Guardian. | Hoaxes often gurgle up from the bowels of Facebook, as shares from sites that claim to mix satire with the truth, like The Rightists, or sites that don’t seem to exist for any particular reason but to fool people, like one called The Denver Guardian. |
| Here’s what we’ve seen so far on Election Day: | Here’s what we’ve seen so far on Election Day: |
| • Beware the hoax Twitter account. This post about exit poll numbers in Florida did not come from an official CNN account. One fast way to root out impostors is to check the account’s history. A cursory glance shows that this account’s history contains a message that says, “Let’s get banned.” | • Beware the hoax Twitter account. This post about exit poll numbers in Florida did not come from an official CNN account. One fast way to root out impostors is to check the account’s history. A cursory glance shows that this account’s history contains a message that says, “Let’s get banned.” |
| • Keep an eye on hoax sites that are going into overdrive. Here’s a recent example from The Denver Guardian. On Saturday, that site claimed that an F.B.I. agent connected to Hillary Clinton’s email disclosures had murdered his wife and shot himself. The story was fabricated, and The Denver Post published a detailed report explaining that The Denver Guardian was a hoax. | • Keep an eye on hoax sites that are going into overdrive. Here’s a recent example from The Denver Guardian. On Saturday, that site claimed that an F.B.I. agent connected to Hillary Clinton’s email disclosures had murdered his wife and shot himself. The story was fabricated, and The Denver Post published a detailed report explaining that The Denver Guardian was a hoax. |
| On Tuesday, several readers notified us that a site called the Conservative Daily Post had published a number of false stories, including a report that President Obama and Hillary Clinton had both promised amnesty to undocumented immigrants who vote on the Democratic ticket. Neither person has made this promise to immigrants. The site has also posted a story that declares Word War III is days away. According to the website Politifact.com, the Conservative Daily Post is rated “Pants on Fire,” at the opposite end of the spectrum from sites rated “True.” | On Tuesday, several readers notified us that a site called the Conservative Daily Post had published a number of false stories, including a report that President Obama and Hillary Clinton had both promised amnesty to undocumented immigrants who vote on the Democratic ticket. Neither person has made this promise to immigrants. The site has also posted a story that declares Word War III is days away. According to the website Politifact.com, the Conservative Daily Post is rated “Pants on Fire,” at the opposite end of the spectrum from sites rated “True.” |
| • Fliers were distributed to trick college students. The Bangor Daily News reports that were fliers left on the campus of Bates College, in Maine, telling students that if they wanted to vote in Lewiston, they would have to pay to change their driver’s licenses and re-register any vehicle in the city. These sorts of hoaxes are common on college campuses. | • Fliers were distributed to trick college students. The Bangor Daily News reports that were fliers left on the campus of Bates College, in Maine, telling students that if they wanted to vote in Lewiston, they would have to pay to change their driver’s licenses and re-register any vehicle in the city. These sorts of hoaxes are common on college campuses. |
| • A mayor posted a message with an incorrect date for Election Day. Jefferson Riley, the Republican mayor of Mansfield, Ga., posted a message on his Facebook page: “Remember the voting days: Republicans vote on Tuesday, 11/8 and Democrats vote on Wednesday, 11/9.” | • A mayor posted a message with an incorrect date for Election Day. Jefferson Riley, the Republican mayor of Mansfield, Ga., posted a message on his Facebook page: “Remember the voting days: Republicans vote on Tuesday, 11/8 and Democrats vote on Wednesday, 11/9.” |
| He soon deleted the post. | He soon deleted the post. |
| Jeana Hyde, the city clerk in Mansfield, confirmed that Mayor Riley had made the post on his personal account. She said that while she couldn’t speak for the mayor, she believed that the post had been a joke, “but I really don’t know.” | Jeana Hyde, the city clerk in Mansfield, confirmed that Mayor Riley had made the post on his personal account. She said that while she couldn’t speak for the mayor, she believed that the post had been a joke, “but I really don’t know.” |
| “He’s a good man; he’s a good mayor,” she said. “And good people do crazy stuff sometimes.” | “He’s a good man; he’s a good mayor,” she said. “And good people do crazy stuff sometimes.” |
| Needless to say, Tuesday is Electing Day for all Americans, regardless of their political affiliations. | Needless to say, Tuesday is Electing Day for all Americans, regardless of their political affiliations. |
| Other falsehoods are spread by seemingly well-meaning entities — corporate accounts and misinformed individuals — who trumpet claims that turn out not to be true. | Other falsehoods are spread by seemingly well-meaning entities — corporate accounts and misinformed individuals — who trumpet claims that turn out not to be true. |
| Here are some Election Day examples: | Here are some Election Day examples: |
| • An inaccurate guide was distributed to voters. Urban Outfitters on Monday tweeted an Election Day guide that contained wrong information, telling voters that they needed a “voter’s registration card” along with their identification to vote. There is not a single state that requires such a card. | • An inaccurate guide was distributed to voters. Urban Outfitters on Monday tweeted an Election Day guide that contained wrong information, telling voters that they needed a “voter’s registration card” along with their identification to vote. There is not a single state that requires such a card. |
| The retailer has since corrected its guide. | The retailer has since corrected its guide. |
| • Watch for wrong information about the polls. Anni O’Connor, 53, of Paradise Valley, Ariz., reported on The New York Times’s Facebook page that she overheard a woman in line at her polling place say that all her friends had voted online already. Ms. O’Connor, who had been an independent voter for many years but registered as a Democrat to support Hillary Clinton in this year’s primary, said she told the woman to alert her friends that they had not voted. | • Watch for wrong information about the polls. Anni O’Connor, 53, of Paradise Valley, Ariz., reported on The New York Times’s Facebook page that she overheard a woman in line at her polling place say that all her friends had voted online already. Ms. O’Connor, who had been an independent voter for many years but registered as a Democrat to support Hillary Clinton in this year’s primary, said she told the woman to alert her friends that they had not voted. |
| There is no state in which votes can be submitted online, though a few states make exceptions for military and overseas voters. | There is no state in which votes can be submitted online, though a few states make exceptions for military and overseas voters. |
| • A much-shared tweet about election workers being fired in Florida got some things right, but got key details wrong. Even when people seem eager to help spread the truth, there’s often misinformation given out. For instance, look at this tweet from Adam D. Brown, a Republican politician: | • A much-shared tweet about election workers being fired in Florida got some things right, but got key details wrong. Even when people seem eager to help spread the truth, there’s often misinformation given out. For instance, look at this tweet from Adam D. Brown, a Republican politician: |
| While Mr. Brown is correct that two Florida election clerks were removed from their duties on Tuesday, it was in Broward County, not Miami-Dade. | While Mr. Brown is correct that two Florida election clerks were removed from their duties on Tuesday, it was in Broward County, not Miami-Dade. |
| Tonya Edwards, a spokeswoman for the Broward County elections supervisor, confirmed that two clerks had been removed from their duties before noon, and had been replaced by other poll workers. | Tonya Edwards, a spokeswoman for the Broward County elections supervisor, confirmed that two clerks had been removed from their duties before noon, and had been replaced by other poll workers. |
| The clerks were removed, Ms. Edwards said, because “they were not adhering to our election policies and procedures as they were trained.” | The clerks were removed, Ms. Edwards said, because “they were not adhering to our election policies and procedures as they were trained.” |
| Asked to elaborate, she said that they had “obstructed and interfered” with the voting process but could not give any more information. She said that the episode had not ended up affecting anyone’s ability to vote. | Asked to elaborate, she said that they had “obstructed and interfered” with the voting process but could not give any more information. She said that the episode had not ended up affecting anyone’s ability to vote. |
| • CNN corrected a tweet from Donald J. Trump. The Republican nominee tweeted on Tuesday that Utah officials had reported problems with voting machines across the country. | • CNN corrected a tweet from Donald J. Trump. The Republican nominee tweeted on Tuesday that Utah officials had reported problems with voting machines across the country. |
| Later, Jake Tapper, a CNN anchor, addressed Mr. Trump’s tweet during a live broadcast. | Later, Jake Tapper, a CNN anchor, addressed Mr. Trump’s tweet during a live broadcast. |
| “CNN is not reporting that,” Mr. Tapper said. “The problem is, the problem’s across the county. A county. Not a country, as Mr. Trump tweeted.” | “CNN is not reporting that,” Mr. Tapper said. “The problem is, the problem’s across the county. A county. Not a country, as Mr. Trump tweeted.” |
| On Election Day, we’re hoping that you can help us keep a running list of stories like these, from news articles on fake websites, to tweets that misdirect readers. We’ll be checking social media as well as Snopes and BuzzFeed, two operations that vigilantly debunk fake news sites, as we go, but we’re hoping you can help. | On Election Day, we’re hoping that you can help us keep a running list of stories like these, from news articles on fake websites, to tweets that misdirect readers. We’ll be checking social media as well as Snopes and BuzzFeed, two operations that vigilantly debunk fake news sites, as we go, but we’re hoping you can help. |
| First, a note: A growing tendency to dive into our own echo chambers and construct our personal versions of the truth on social media has been destructive to the ability to call out misinformation online. A post that contains an opinion you disagree with isn’t necessarily “fake” or “inaccurate.” We’re looking for stories that seem designed to misinform the reader. | First, a note: A growing tendency to dive into our own echo chambers and construct our personal versions of the truth on social media has been destructive to the ability to call out misinformation online. A post that contains an opinion you disagree with isn’t necessarily “fake” or “inaccurate.” We’re looking for stories that seem designed to misinform the reader. |
| Here’s a quick primer for spotting fake news: | Here’s a quick primer for spotting fake news: |
| • Check the account history of the source. One red flag is usually the number of posts and the span of time the account has been active. Is the story one of 50 coming from a Facebook account that was created just last week? It warrants a deeper look. | • Check the account history of the source. One red flag is usually the number of posts and the span of time the account has been active. Is the story one of 50 coming from a Facebook account that was created just last week? It warrants a deeper look. |
| • Images are often reused from one live event to another to deceive people. Do a reverse-image search with a service like TinEye. The site should tell you if the photo has been used elsewhere. | • Images are often reused from one live event to another to deceive people. Do a reverse-image search with a service like TinEye. The site should tell you if the photo has been used elsewhere. |
| • Check for context. Distortion is a powerful tactic used by sites designed to mislead the public. Images, videos and text snippets will be chopped, twisted and stuffed into a new headline to fit an inflammatory new narrative. | • Check for context. Distortion is a powerful tactic used by sites designed to mislead the public. Images, videos and text snippets will be chopped, twisted and stuffed into a new headline to fit an inflammatory new narrative. |
| In one example cited in a recent BuzzFeed study, a site called Freedom Daily wrote fake details around a months-old video to make it seem like two white men had been beaten and set on fire by supporters of the Black Lives Matter Movement. The story was, in fact, a dispute between two co-workers, and BuzzFeed found that it had nothing to do with racially motivated violence. | In one example cited in a recent BuzzFeed study, a site called Freedom Daily wrote fake details around a months-old video to make it seem like two white men had been beaten and set on fire by supporters of the Black Lives Matter Movement. The story was, in fact, a dispute between two co-workers, and BuzzFeed found that it had nothing to do with racially motivated violence. |
| But it got a lot of shares. | But it got a lot of shares. |